G'l  .    2'^6C 


Duke  University  Libraries 

The  seven  days' 
Conf  Pam  #610 


\ 


THE 


w 


SEVEN  DAYS'  BATTLES 


IN  FRONT  OF  RICHMOND. 


AN  OUTLINE  NARRATIVE  OF  THE  SERIES  OF  ENGAGEMENTS  WHICH 
OPENED  AT  MECHANICSVILLE,  NEAR  RICHMOND,  ON  THURS- 
DAY,   JUNE    26,  1862,    AND    RESULTED    IN   THE    DEFEAT 
AND  RETREAT   OF   THE    NORTHERN    ARMY  UNDER 
MAJOR-GENERAL   M'CLELLAN. 


COMPILED  FROM  THE  DETAILED  ACCOUNTS  OF  THE  NEWSPAPER  PRESS. 


CHARLESTON: 

STKAM-POWKR    PKESSE8    OF    EVXxs    It    COGSWELL, 
.3^Broad  and  103  East  Bay  StreeU. 

1862. 


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PUBLISHERS'    NOTICE. 


After  the  most  bloody  and  important  struggle  that  has  ever 
taken  jihuo  upon  the  Continent  of  America,  the  people  of  the 
Confederate  States,  whose  sons  and  kindred  were  the  victors, 
have  marked,  with  some  surprise  and  disappointment,  that  no 
full  and  accurate  account  of  the  battles  has  been  published  in 
the  South.  The  lack  of  so  desirable  a  record  is  due  to  the 
exclusion  from  the  lines  of  our  armies  of  those  whose  province 
it  has  hitherto  been  to  chronicle  the  events  of  the  war.  Yet 
man}'  detached  and  interesting  narratives  of  the  several  en- 
gagements have,  from  time  to  time,  found  their  way  into  the 
Southern  newspapers.  To  group  together  these  fragmentary 
accounts,  so  as  to  present,  as  nearly  as  possible,  under  the  cir- 
cumstances, a  complete  and  connected  narrative  of  the  suc- 
cessiye  actions,  is  the  object  of  this  pamphlet.  It  has  been 
suggested  to  the  publishers,  that,  in  the  absence  of  a  more 
detailed  and  pretentious  history  of  the  fighting,  such  a  com- 
pilation would  be  acceptable  to  the  public. 


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^ 


x 


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THE 

SEVEN  DAYS'  BATTLES 

IN  FKONT  OF  RICHMOND. 


The  bloody  checks  which  the  Northern  army,  in  its  memo- 
rable advance  up  the  Peninsula  toward  Eichmond,  had  re- 
ceived at  Williamsburg  and  the  Seven  Pines,  had  taught 
General  ^fcClellan  the  desperate  character  of  the  conflict, 
without  which  ho  could  never  hope  to  reach,  in  triumph,  the 
capital  of  the  Confederate  States.  Accordingly,  after  the  battle 
of  the  Seven  Pines  bis  movements  became  exceedingly  circum- 
spect, and,  although  his  army  already  largely  outnumbered 
tiiat  which  defended  the  beleaguered  city,  he  kept  calling  con- 
stantly and  urgently  on  his  government  for  reinforcements. 
On. Wednesday,  June  25,  his  army  numbered,  judging  from  the 
most  authentic  statements  that  are  available,  between  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  thousand  and  one  hundred  and  thirty 
thousand  effective  men.  AVith  this  immense  force  he  was  cau- 
tiously pushing  forward  his  lines.  Meantime  it  had  been  de- 
termined by  the  Confederate  generals  to  attack  the  invading 
host  in  their  fortified  positions,  and,  to  co-operate  in  this  grand 
movement,  the  bulk  of  the  Confederate  forces  which  iiad  re- 
cently cleared  the  invaders  out  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia,  were 
ra])idl3-  and  quietly  drawn  toward  Eichmond,  in  order  to  flank 
McClellan's  loft. 

A  brief  reference  to  the  situation  of  the  opposing  armies  will 
here  be  necessary  to  enable  the  reader  to  understand  the  subse- 
quent movements,  it' yon  will  take  a  map  of  Virginia,  and  run 
,  your  eye  along  the  line  of  the  Virginia  Central  railroad  until 
it  crosses  the  Chickahominy  at  the  point  designated  as  £he 
Meadow  bridge,  j-ou  will  be  in  the  vicinUy  of  the  position 
occupied  by  tlio  extreme  ri^Jtt  of  the  Federal  armj'. 

Tracing  from  this  ]josition  a  semicircular  line,  Avhich  crosses 
the  Chickahonuny  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  "New  bridge," 
and  then  the  York  ni\-C'r  railroad  farther  on,  you  arrive  at  a 
^oint  southeast  ofl^iohmond,  but  a  comparatively  short  dis- 
tance from  the  James  river,  whore  rests  the  Federal  left.     To 


be  a  little  more  onficit,  spread  your  fingers  so  that  their  tips 
will  form  as  neaT^as  possible  the  arc  of  a  circle.  Imagine 
Eiclmioiul  as  situated  upon  your  wrist;  the  outer  edj^e  of  the 
tluiinb  as  the  (^entral  railroad;  the  inner  ed<fe  as  the  Me(h:in- 
icsville  turnpike;  the  first  tiniror  as  the  Nine  Mile  or  New 
Brid<fe  road;  the  si'Cond  as  the  Willianisluir<^  turn])ike,  runnin<^ 
nearly  parallel  willi  the  York  Hivcr  i'aili-i)a<i  ;  the  third  as  the 
Charles  City  turnpike  (whi(;h  runs  to  the  southward  of  tlie 
'Wiiiie  Oak  swamp),  and  the  fourth  as  the  Darhytown  j*oad. 
Commandinsjj  these  several  avenues  were  the  foi-ces  of  McClel- 
lan.  Our  own  troops,  with  the  exco|)tion  of  Jackson's  corps, 
occu]">ied  a  similar,  but,  of  course,  smaller  circle,  immediately 
around  Richmond,  the  heaviest  body  being  on  the  centre,  south 
of  the  York  Hivcr  railroad. 

Such  was  the  situation  ]-)revious  to  Thursda}-,  the  2(3th  of 
June.  The  phwi  of  battle  tlien  developetl  was:  tirst,  to  make  a 
vi<^orou8  flank  movement  upon  the  enenn's  extreme  riu;ht, 
which  was  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  Central  railroad; 
secondl}-,  as  soon  as  they  fell  back  to  the  next  road  below,  our 
divisions  there  ])0sted  were  to  advance  across  the  Chicka- 
honiiny,  change  front,  and,  in  co-o])eration  with  Jackson,  who 
■was  to  make  a  detour,  and  attack  the  Federals  in  flank  and 
rear,  drive  them  still  farther  on;  and,  finally,  when  they  had 
reached  a  certain  point,  now  known  as  "  the  triangle, "  em- 
braced between  the  ('harles  City,  JS'ew  Market  and  Quaker 
roads,  all  ol'  which  intersect,  these  several  a])i)roaches  were  to 
be  possessed  by  our  forces — the  enemy  to  be  thus  hemmed  in, 
and  compelled  either  to  starve,  cai)itulate,  or  fight  his  way  out 
with  tremendous  odds,  and  topographical  advantages  against 
him.  How  so  excellent  a  ])lan  eventually  happened  to  fail,  at 
least  partially,  in  the  execution,  will  presently  appear. 

THUaSDAY,  JUNK   TWKNTY-SIXTM — OPKNINU    OF   TIIK    BATTLE — TUB 
CAl'TUllE    OF    MECIIANICSVII-LK. 

Thursda}'  came,  clear  but  warm.  At  three  o'clock,  A.  M., 
Majoi'-(Jcnei-al  Jackson  took  up  his  line  of  march  from  Ashland, 
ami  ])rocec(iing  down  the  counti-y  between  the  ('hickahominy 
and  I\unuiikcy  rivers,  he  uncovered  the  front  of  Brigadier-(ien- 
cral  Branch  by  driving  off  the  enemy  collected  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  (/hickahoniiny  river,  at  the  |)oint  where  it  is  crossed 
by  the  Brook  turnpike;  (Jeneral  Branch,  who  was  on  the  south 
bank,  then  crossed  the  river  and  wlu-eled  to  the  right,  down  its 
northern  bank.  Proceeding  in  that  direction.  (Jenei-al  Branch, 
in  like  manner,  uncovcreil,  at  J\readow  bridge,  the  front  of 
Major-CJcneral  A.  P.  Ilill,  who  immediately  crossed.  The  throe 
columns  now  |)roceeded^rt  echelon — (Jeneral  Jackson  in  advance 
and  on  the  extreme  lefl,  Brigadier-tJeneral  Branch  (who  was 
now  mei-ged  with  General  A.  P.  Jlill)  in  the  centre,  and  Gen- 


eral  A.  V.  Hill  on  tlio  ri<]^ht,  immodiatcly  on  the  river.  Jackson 
bearing  away  from  the  Cliickahominy  in  this  part  of  the  march» 
flo  as  to  gain  ground  toward  tiie  Pamunkey.  marched  to  tho 
left  of  Moclianicsville,  while  (Joneral  Hill,  keeping  well  to  the 
Chickahominy,  approached  that  village  and  engaged  the  enemy 
there.  The  road  was  narrow,  uneven,  muddy  and  impeded^ 
and  when  tho  bridge  had  been  crossed,  it  became  necessary  to- 
ascend  a  hill  bare  of  trees  or  other  obstructions,  and  all  the 
while  our  gallant  follows  w^ere  exposed  to  a  plunging  fire  or 
shell,  grapo,  round  shot  and  canister  from  the  Federal  batter- 
ies; yet  (lio  column  moved  on  steadil}',  in  files  of  fours,  closing; 
up  their  ranks  as  soon  as  they  were  thinned,  with  a  sublime- 
resolution,  toward  the  fortifications,  which,  after  an  obstinate 
fight  of  two  hours  and  a  half,  were  carried  in  magnificent  style, 
and  their  guns  immediately  turned  upon  the  retreating  foe.. 
This  occurred  about  half-past  seven  or  eight  in  the  evening,. 
The  cannonade  was,  perhaps,  the  most  furious  and  incessant 
that  luid  been  ke|>t  u]i  for  so  long  a  time  since  the  beginning  of 
the  war.  But  tlie  Mechanicsville  entrenchments  were  ours,. 
and,  though  with  lieav}*  loss,  at  a  smaller  sacrifice  of  life  than 
had  been  feared,  and  the  enemy  had  fallen  back  to  Ellyson's 
mills,  farther  down  the  Chickahominy. 

THE   ASSAULT   UPON    ELLYSON's    MILLS. 

The  enemy's  batter^'  of  sixteen  guns  was  to  the  right,  or 
Bouthoast  of  the  Mechanicsville  road,  about  a  mile  and  a  half 
distant,  and  was  situated  on  a  rise  of  ground  in  the  vicinity  of 
Ellyson's  mills,  defended  b^'  opaulments  supported  by  rifle  pits. 
Beaver  crook,  about  twelve  feet  wide  and  waist  deep,  ran  along 
the  front  and  left  flank  of  the  enemy's  position,  while  from  the 
creek  to  the  battery  was  covered  with  abattis.  The  position 
was  most  f'ormidal)le. 

The  assault  was  made  by  Pender's  brigade,  of  A.  P.  HilTs 
division,  on  the  right,  and  by  Ripley's  brigade  on  the  right  iiii 
front.  General  Pender's  brigade  had  been  thrown  out  in  ad- 
vance in  observation  of  the  enem^^'s  left,  \vhen  Ripley's  brigade 
coming  uji.  (ieneral  D.  H.  Hill  ordered  two  of  General  Kipley's 
regiments — the  P\irty-fourth  Georgia  and  the  First  North  Car- 
olina— to  o])orate  on  the  right  with  General  Pender,  while  the 
Forty-eighth  Georgia  and  the  Third  North  Carolina  remained 
in  front,  (ioncral  Lee  then  ordered  the  battery  to  be  charged. 
The  attempt  was  made.  They  all  moved  forward  to  the  attack 
together.  They  cleared  the  rifle  pits  and  gained  the  creek, 
within  one  hundred  yards  of  the  battery;  but  there  was  stilt 
tho  creek  and  abattis  to  cross.  The  fire  of  shot,  shell,  canister 
and  musketry  from  tho  enemy's  works  was,  meanwhile,  murder- 
ous. The  b\»rty-fourth  Georgia  and  Fii'st  North  (■arolina  were 
heavily  cut  up  and  thrown  into  confusion,  owing  to  the  heavy 


loss  of  officer!?'    General  Pender's  brigade  was  likewise  re- 
pulsed from  the  batteries  with  .severe  loss. 

At  tills  juncture,  while  the  troops  were  holding  this  position, 
Ehett'.'^  hatter}',  of  D.  H.  Hill's  division,  succeeded  in  crossing 
the  l)rokon  bridge  over  the  (.'hickahoininy,  and  took  i)osition  on 
the  high  grouiul  iuinuMliately  in  front  of  the  enemy's  hatteries, 
and  opened  a  steady  and  destructive  fire  over  the  heads  of  our 
troops,  with  telling  eft'ect  upon  the  enemy's  infantry,  almost 
silencing  their  fire,  and  drawing  the  fire  of  their  hatteries  from 
our  own  int'antry  upon  themselves,  with  the  loss  of  a  number 
of  men  and  horses.  Reinforced  then  b}'  Bondurant's  battery 
and  one  of  General  A.  P.  Hill's  batteries,  a  steady  fire  was 
continued,  while  our  infantry  held  their  position  about  three 
liundred  3'ards  from  the  enemy's  batteries,  until  half- past 
nine  o'clock,  p.  M.,  when  the  enemy's  batteries  ceased  firing. 
At  ten  o'clock,  p.  M.,  our  batteries  ceased  also.  During  the 
night,  at  about  twelve  o'clock,  the  enemy  abandoned  some  of 
his  batteries,  burning  platforms,  etc. 

FRIDAY,  JUNE    'iWENTY-SEVENTII — STORMING    OF    GAINES'  MILL. 

Early  the  next  morning,  being  Friday,  Generals  Gregg  and 
Pryor,  of  Longsti-ect's  corps,  turned  the  enemy's  left  flank,  and 
cari-ied,  with  the  bayonet,  what  guns  still  remained  in  their 
batteries,  in  the  front  and  to  the  right  of  Mechanicsville.  It 
is  said  by  many  that  this  was  the  ])roper  movement  to  have 
been  made  on  the  evening  previous.  And  blame  is  attached  to 
the  order  given  to  storm  the  work  in  front  Avith  an  entirely 
inadequate  force. 

In  the  meantime  the  grand  advance  en  echelon  again  began. 
The  troops  of  D.  II.  Hill,  having  all  joined  their  proper  divis- 
ions, marched  by  the  Mechanicsville  road  to  join  Jackson..  The 
junction  was  made  at  Bethesda  church— Jackson  coming  from 
Ashland,  lioth  corps  then  proceeded  to  ('old  Harbor — Hill  in 
front.  Longstreet  proceeded  by  the  right  of  Ellyson's  mills 
toward  i)r.  Gaines'  farm,  and  A.  P.  Hill  in  the  same  direction, 
on  the  left  of  Longstreet.  At  this  point  they  came  upon  the 
enemy,  strongly  posted  on  high  and  advantageous  ground. 
The  line  of  battle  formed  was  as  follows:  Longstreet  on  the 
right,  resting  on  the  ('hickahominy  swamp  ;  A.  P.  Hill  on  his 
lelt;  then  Whiting,  then  10 well,  then  Jackson  (the  two  latter 
under  Jackson's  command),  then  D.  II.  Hill  on  the  left  of  the 
Jiiic — the  line  extending  in  the  form  of  a  crescent  beyond  New 
Cold  Harbor,  south  toward  Baker's  mills. 

At  about  twelve  o'clock,  m.,  the  batteries  of  1).  11.  Hill,  con- 
sisting (»f  Hardaway's,  Carter's,  Bondurant's,  iihett's,  Peyton's 
and  Clarke's,  under  command  of  Majors  Pierson  and  Jones, 
were  massed  on  our  left.  Captain  Bondurant  advanced  to  the 
front,  and  took  position  near  the  powerful  batteries  of  the  ene- 


9 

my's  artillery.  But  it  was  soon  found  impossible  to  hold  the 
position.  He  was  overpowered  and  silenced.  Other  batteries 
soon,  however,  came  forward  successively  to  the  front  of  tiie 
infantr}-,  about  three  hundred  yards  in  rear  of  Bonduraiit"s 
position.  Hardaway  took  up  the  fight  with  rifled  nuns.  The 
object  was  to  draw  the  attention  of  the  encnij'  from  Long- 
street's  contemplated  attack.  At  about  half-past  three  o'clock, 
p.  M.,  Longstreet  commenced  firing  and  driving  the  enemy 
down  the  i'hickahominy.  Hardaway  then  ceased  tiring,  and 
the  other  divisions  on  the  left  of  Longstreet  successively  took 
up  the  fight;  the  enemy  retreating,  and  being  driven  back  to- 
ward 1).  H.  Hill's  artillcr}*,  on  our  left.  The  artillery  being 
reinforced  by  a  section  of  a  Ballimorc  battery,  from  Jackson  s 
division,  with  English  Blakely  guns,  o])ened  a  furious  fire  on 
the  enemy  at  about  five  o'clock,  p.  m.  At  four  o'clock,  r.  M.,of 
Friday,  the  enemy  had  reached  Gaines'  mill,  one  of  their 
strongest  defences,  and  here,  an  hour  later,  the  bloodiest  con- 
test occurred  that  had  been  witnessed  during  flic  campaign. 
Men  who  had  gone  through  Manassas,  Williamsl)urg,  and  tlie 
Seven  Pines,  declared  they  had  never  seen  war  before.  Without 
a  knowledge  of  the  ground,  but  little  conception  can  be  formed 
of  the  ditticulties  of  the  attack  upon  Gaines'  mill.  Emerging 
from  the  woods,  the  road  leads  to  the  left  and  then  to  the  right 
round  Gaines'  house,  when  the  whole  country,  for  the  area  of 
some  two  miles,  is  an  open,  unbroken  succession  of  undulating 
hills.  Standing  at  the  north  door  of  Gaines'  house,  the  whole 
country  to  the  right,  for  the  distance  of  one  mile,  is  a  gradual 
slope  toward  a  creek,  thi'ough  which  the  main  road  runs  up  an 
open  hill  and  then  winds  to  the  riglit.  In  front,  to  the  left,  arc 
orchards  and  gulleys,  running  gradually  to  a  decj)  creek.  Di- 
rectly in  front,  for  the  distance  of  a  mile,  the  ground  is  almost 
table  land,  suddenly  dipping  to  the  deep  creek  mentione<i  altove, 
being  faced  by  a  timber-covered  hill  fronting  all  the  table  land. 
Beyond  this  timber-covered  bill,  the  country  is  again  o])en,  and 
a  perfect  plateau,  a  farm-house  and  outhouses  occiip^'ing  the 
centre,  the  main  road  mentioned  winding  to  the  right  and 
through  all  the  Federal  camps.  To  the  left  and  rear  of  the 
second  mentioned  farm,  a  roail  comes  in  upon  the  flat  lands, 
joining  the  main  road  mentioned.  Thus,  to  recapitulate,  ex- 
cept the  deep  creek  and  timber-covered  hill  beyond  it,  the 
whole  country,  as  seen  from  the  north  door  of  Gaines'  house,is 
unbroken,  open,  undulating,  and  table  land,  the  right  ibrraing 
a  descent  to  the  wood-covered  creek,  the  left  being  dijj.s  and 
gullies,  with  dense  timber  still  farther  to  the  left;  the  front 
being  for  the  most  part  table  land.  But  to  the  southeast  of 
Gaines'  house  is  a  large  tract  of  timber,  commanding  all  ad- 
vances upon  the  main  road,  and  in  this  McClellan  and  McCall 
had  posted  a  strong  body  of  skirmishers,  with  artillery,  lo 
annoy  our  flank  and  rear  when  advancing  on  their  camps  on 


*  10 

the  hiffh  gronnda,  if  wc  did  ^()  hy  tlio  main  road  or  over  (he 
tahle  hinds  to  the  north. 

It  now  being  tiiree  o'clock,  i>.  m..  and  the  head  of  our  cohnnn 
in  view  of  the  Federal  camps,  (tcnei-al  Pn'or  was  sent  forward 
with  his  brigade  to  drive  away  the  heavy  mass  of  skirmishers 
posiL-d  to  our  rear  to  annoy  the  advance.  This  being  accom- 
plished with  great  success,  and  with  little  loss  to  us,  Pr^'or 
returned  and  awaited  orders.  Meanwhile  the  Federals,  from 
theii"  camps  and  several  positions  on  the  high  grounds,  swept 
the  whole  face  of  the  country  with  theii-  numerous  ai'tillery, 
which  would  have  annihilated  our  entire  foi'ce  if  not  screened 
in  the  dips  of  the  land  and  in  gullies  to  our  left.  Advancing 
cautiously  but  ra])idly  in  the  skirt  of  woods,  and  in  the  dips  to 
the  left,  Wilcox  and  l^iyor  deployed  their  men  into  line  of  hat- 
tie — Featlierstone  being  in  the  rear — and  suddenly  ajipearing 
on  the  plateau  facing  the  timber-covered  hill,  rushed  down  into 
the  wide  gully,  crossed  it,  clambered  over  all  the  felled  timber, 
stormed  the  timber  breastworks  beyond  it,  and  began  the 
ascent  of  the  hill,  under  a  terrific  fire  of  sharpshooters,  and  an 
incessant  discharge  of  grape  and  canister,  from  jiieces  ])osted 
on  the  brow  of  the  hill  and  fron;  batteries  in  their  camps  to 
the  right  on  the  high  flat  lands.  Such  a  position  was  never 
Btormed  before.  Jn  descending  into  the  deej)  creek,  the  in- 
fantry and  artillery  fire  that  assailed  the  three  brigades  was 
most  terrific.  Twenty-six  pieces  were  thundering  at  them,  and 
a  perfect  hailstorm  of  lead  fell  thick  and  fast  around  them. 
One  of  Wilcox's  regiments  wavered — down  the  (ieneral  rushed, 
furiousl}',  sword  in  hand,  and  threatened  to  behead  the  first 
maJi  that  hesitated.  Pryor  steadily  advanced,  hut  slowly;  and 
b}'  the  time  that  the  three  brigades  had  stormed  the  ])osition, 
passed  up  the  hill  through  timber  and  over  felled  trees,  l*'eath- 
erstone  was  far  in  advance.  (Quickly  the  Federals  withdrew 
their  ])ieces,  and  took  up  a  fresh  position  to  assail  the  three 
brigades,  advancing  in  ])erfect  line  of  battle  from  the  woods 
and  upon  the  ])lateau.  Otficcrs  had  no  horses,  all  were  shot — 
brigiidiers  marched  on  foot,  sword  in  hand— ^regiments  were 
commanded  by  ca))tain8,  and  companies  by  sergeants,  yet  on- 
ward they  rushed,  with  yells  and  colors  flying,  and  backward, 
still  backwai'd,  fell  the  Federals,  their  men  tumbling  every 
moment  in  scores.  But  what  a  sight  met  the  eyes  of  those 
three  gallant  brigades  !  In  front  stood  Federal  camps,  stretch- 
ing to  the  northeast  i'or  miles!  Drawn  up  in  line  of  battle 
■were  more  than  three  lull  divisions,  commanded  by  J\IcCall, 
Porter,  Sedgwick,  etc.  —  i)anners  darkened  the  air  —  artillery 
vomited  forth  incessant  volleys  of  grape,  canister  and  shell — 
lieavy  masses  were  moving  on  our  left  through  the  woods  to 
flank  us  !  Yet  onward  came  Wilcox  to  the  right,  Pi-yor  to  the 
left,  and  Featlierstone  in  the  centre — one  grand,  matchless  line 
of  battle — almost  consumed  by  exploits  of  the  day — yet  onward 


* 


11 

they  advanced  to  tlie  heart  of  the  Federal  jiosition,  and  when 
the  •enemy  had  fairly  succeeded  in  ahnost  liunkinjr  us  on  tlie 
left,  great  commotion  is  heard  in  the  woods!  vollej-s  upon  vol- 
le3'8  are  heard  in  rapid  succession,  which  are  recognized  and 
cheered  b}'  our  men — "  It  is  Jackson  I"  they  slioiit,  "on  tlieir 
right  and  rear  I"  Yes;  two  or  three  brigades  of  JaeUson's  army 
have  flanked  tlie  enemy,  and  are  getting  in  the  rear  I  Now  the 
fighting  was  bitter  and  terrific.  Worked  up  to  madness.  Wil- 
cox, Featherstone  and  Prjor  dash  forward  at  a  run,  and  drive 
the  enemy  with  irresistible  fury  —  to  our  left  emerge  Hood's 
Texan  brigade.  Whiting's  comes  after,  and  Pender  follows  I 
The  line  is  now  com|)lete,  and  '-forward''  rings  from  one  end  of 
the  line  to  the  other,  and  the  Yankees,  over  thirty  thousand 
strong,  begin  to  retreat  I  Wheeling  their  artilK-ry  from  the 
front,  the  Federals  turn  part  of  it  to  break  our  leit.  and  save 
their  retreat.  The  very  earth  shakes  at  the  roar!  Not  one 
piece  of  ours  has  yet  opened!  all  has  been  done  with  the  bullet  and 
bayonet,  and  onward  press  our  troops  through  camps  upon 
camps,  capturing  guns,  stores,  arms,  clothing,  etc.  Yet,  like 
bloodhounds  on  the  trail,  the  six  brigades  .sweep  everything 
before  them,  presenting  an  unbroken,  solid  front,  and.  closing 
in  upon  tlie  enemy,  keep  up  an  incessant  succession  of  volleys 
upon  their  confused  masses,  and  unerringly  slaughtering  them 
by  hundreds  and  thousands!  There  was  but  one  '•  cliarge," 
and  from  the  moment  the  word  of  command  was  given — "tix 
bayonets;  forward  !" — our  advance  was  never  sto])])ed,  despite 
the  awful  reception  which  met  it.  It  is  true  that  one  or  two 
regiments  became  confused  in  passing  over  the  deep  ditch, 
abaitis  and  timber  earthwork  —  it  is  also  true  that  sijveral 
sli])ped  fioni  the  ranks  and  ran  to  the  rear,  but  in  many  cases 
these  were  wounded  men  ;  but  the  total  number  of"  straj:glers" 
would  not  amount  to  more  than  one  hundred.  This  is  strictly 
true,  and  redounds  to  our  immortal  honor.  These  facts  are 
true  of  Wilcox's,  Pryor's  and  Featherstone's  brig.ades.  who 
formed  our  right,  and  we  are  positive  that,  from  the  composi- 
tion of  Whiting's,  Hood's  and  Pender's  brigades,  who  flanked 
the  enemy  and  formed  our  left,  the^'  never  could  be  made  to 
falter,  for  Whiting  had  the  Eleventh,  Sixteenth  and  Second 
Missi.ssij)pi,  and  two  other  regiments.  Hood  had  four  Texan 
and  one  (xcorgia  regiment,  and  the  material  of  Pender'.s  com- 
mand was  equally  as  good  as  any.  and  greatly  distinguished 
itself  These  were  the  troops  mostly  engaged  and  that  suffered 
most. 

But  "  where  is  Jackson ":"'  ask  all.  He  has  travelled  fast, 
and  is  heading  the  retreating  foe,  and  as  night  closes  in.  all  is 
anxiety  for  intelligence  from  iiim.  It  is  now  about  seven 
o'clock,  p.  M..  and  just  as  the  rout  of  the  enemy  is  complete — 
just  as  the  last  volleys  are  sounding  in  the  enemy's  rear,  the 
distant  and  rapid  discharges  of  cannon  tell  that  Jackson  has 


fallen  upon  the  retreating  column.  Far  in  the  night  his  troops 
liang  upon  the  encni}^,  and  for  miles  upon  miles  are  dead, 
wounded,  prisoners,  wagons,  cannon,  etc.,  scattered  in  inextri- 
cable confusion  upon  the  road.  Titus,  for  four  hours,  did  our 
inferior  force,  tinaiiled  by  a  siiKjle  piece  of  artillery,  withstand 
over  thirty  thousand  of  the  enemy,  assisted  by  twenty-six 
pieces  of  artillery  I 

li^ver}' arm  of  the  service  was  well  represented  in  the  Federal 
line — cavalry  were  there  in  force,  and,  when  our  men  emerged 
from  the  woods,  attempted  to  charge,  but  the  three  brigades  on 
the  right,  and  Jackson's  tliree  brigades  on  the  left,  closed  up 
ranks  and  poured  such  deadly  volle3-s  upon  tlie  horsemen,  that 
they  left  the  ground  in  confusion  and  entirely  for  their  infantry 
to  decide  the  day.  ^IcCall's,  Porter's  and  Sedgwick's  "  crack" 
divisions  melted  away  before  our  advance.  .McClellan,  pris- 
oners say,  repeatedly  was  present,  and  directed  movements; 
but,  when  the  three  brigades  to  our  left  emerged  from  the 
woods,  such  confusion  and  havoc  ensued  that  he  gave  orders  to 
retreat,  and  escaped  as  best  he  could. 

The  cannon  and  arms  cajitured  in  this  battle  "were  numerous, 
and  of  very  superior  workmanship.  The  twenty-six  pieces 
were  most  beautiful,  while  immense  piles  of  guns  could  be  seen 
on  every  hand  —  many  scarcely  having  the  manufacturer's 
"finish"  even  tarnished.  The  enemy  seemed  quite  Avilling  to 
throw  them  away  on  tlie  sliglitest  pretext — dozens  being  found 
with  loads  still  undischarged.  The  number  of  small  ai'ms  cap- 
tured was  not  less  than  tifteen  thousand,  of  every  calibre  and 
eveiy  make.  The  field  pieces  taken  were  jn'incipally  Napoleon, 
Parrcft  and  Blakely  (English)  guns.  We  have  captured  large 
quantities  of  army  wagons,  tents,  equipments,  shoes.  Clothing 
in  abundance  was  scattered  about,  and  immense  piles  of  new 
uniforms  were  found  untouched.  Every  conceivable  article  of 
clothing  was  found  in  these  divisional  camps,  and  came  quite 
apropos  to  our  needy  soldiery,  scores  of  whom  took  a  cool  bath, 
and  changed  old  for  new  under-clothing,  many  articles  being  of 
costly  material,  and  quite  unique.  The  amount  of  ammunition 
found  was  considerable,  and  proved  of  very  sujDerior  quality 
and  manufacture. 

While  the  storming  of  Gaines'  mill  was  in  progress,  a  fight 
w'as  raging  at  Cold  Harbor,  a  short  distance  to  the  left,  in  which 
the  enemy  were  driven  otf  with  great  carnage.  At  this  point, 
the  gay,  dashing,  intrejjid  tJcneral  Wheat  was  jnstantly  killed 
by  a  ball  through  the  brain.  At  a  later  hour  of  the  evening 
one  of  his  compatriots,  General  Hood,  of  the  Texas  brigade, 
dashed  into  a  Yankee  cam])  and  took  a  thousand  ])ris(;ners. 
And  so,  with  Jackson  and  Stuart  ])ushing  on  toward  the  Pa- 
munkey  to  intercept  the  enemy's  retreat  to  West  Point,  should 
it  be  attempted,  and  McClellan  with  his  main  body  retiring 
toward  the  south   (or   KichmondJ   side  of  the  Chickahominy 


13 

before  our  victorious  troops,  the  second  day  was  brought  to  an 
end. 

411  of  the  enemy's  dead  and  wounded  on  the  previous  day, 
with  few  exceptions,  had  been  carried  off;  and  tlio}-  managed 
also  to  remove  a  large  number  from  the  field  in  this  running 
engagement.  As  they  retired,  they  set  fire  to  immense  quanti- 
ties of  their  commissary  stores,  spiked  their  cannon,  destroyed 
tents  and  smashed  up  all  of  the  wagons  they  could  not  run  off. 
Our  forces  captured  several  fine  batteries,  consisting  in  all  of 
eighteen  rifled  cannon,  and  several  minor  pieces  of  artillery. 

The  enemy  now  occupied  a  singular  position  :  one  portion  of 
his  army  on"  the  south  side  of  the  Chickahominy,  fronted  Rich- 
mond, and  was  confronted  by  General  Magruder — tlie  other 
portion  on  the  north  side,  had  turned  their  backs  on  Richmond, 
and  fronted  destruction  in  the  persons  of  Lee,  Longstreet,  Jack- 
son and  the  Hills.  These  last  were,  therefore,  advancing  on 
Richmond  with  their  backs  to  the  city ;  such  was  the  position 
into  which  General  Lee  had  forced  McClellan.  The  position 
which  the  latter  here  occupied,  however,  was  one  of  great 
strength. 

THE    FIGHTING    OX    SATURDAY,    JUNE  '  TWENTY-EIGHTH. 

The  right  wing  of  McClellan's  army,  after  crossing  the 
Chickahominy  on" Friday  night  at  the  Grapevine  bridge,  fell 
back  down  the  AVilliamsburg  road,  toward  the  White  Oak 
swamp. 

On  Saturday,  the  28th,  General  Toombs  attacked  a  portion 
of  the  enemy's  left  wing,  strongly  posted  on  a  hill,  and  sup- 
ported with  artillery,  near  the  Chickahominy,  about  a  mile  east 
of  the  New  Bridge  road.  About  eleven  o'clock,  Moody's  bat- 
tery opened  fire  upon  the  entrenchments  of  the  enemy,  located 
just  beyond  Garnett's  farm.  The  battery  fired  some  ten  or 
fifteen  niinutes,  and  meanwhile  a  bodj'  of  infantry,  consisting 
of  the  Seventh  and  Eighth  Georgia  regiments,  moved  up  under 
cover  of  the  fire  from  the  field  pieces.  The  Eighth,  in  advance, 
charged  across  a  ravine  and  up  a  hill,  beyond  which  the  \ankee 
entrenchments  lay.  They  gained  the  "first  line  of  works  and 
took  possession  of  them;  but,  it  is  proper  to  state,  this  was 
unoccupied  at  the  time  by  the  Yankees.  The  fire  of  the  enemy 
was  murderous,  and  as  soon  as  our  men  reached  the  brow  of 
the  hill,  rapid  volleys  of  grape,  canister,  and  musketry  were 
poured  into  them.  It  was  found  almost  impossible  to  proceed 
farther,  but  the  attempt  would  have  been  made  had  not  orders 
been  received  to  fall  back,  which  was  done  in  good  order,  still 
under  fire.  The  loss  in  the  Seventh  is  reported  at  seventy  odd 
men  killed,  wounded  and  missing.  In  the  Eighth,  upward  of 
eighty.  Colonel  liamar,  of  the  Eighth,  was  severely  wounded 
in  the  groin,  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.    Lieutenant- 


14 

Colonel  ToweiTS  was  cajitiired,  hut  uninjuroil.  The  Yankees 
wore  completely  hiciden  lieliind  their  woi-ks,  and  did  not  suffer 
much,  apparently.  We  took  a  (iqitain,  lieutenant,  and  eome 
five  or  six  privates  —  the  YanUee  picket  force  at  the  point. 
Later  a  fla^  of  truce  was  granted  to  take  away  our  dead  and 
wounded. 

Tiie  remainder  of  Saturday  was  marked  by  the  eaptiire  of 
the  Fourth  New  Jerse}'  (Stockton's)  rei^iment,  the  Eleventh 
Pennsylvania,  and  the  famous  "Rucktaiis,"  with  their  regimen- 
tal standards;  hy  rapid  and  wiiolly  successful  movements  of 
Jackson  and  Stuart,  between  tlie  Chickaiiominy  and  the  Pa- 
niunkey,  takiui;  tlie  York  River  raih-oud.  and  cuttiiiLC  off 
McCiellan's  communication  witii  his  transports  and  destroy in<^ 
his  line  of  telei;;rapli.  At  this  time  hiijh  iiopes  were  enter- 
tained of  speedily  (lestroyintj:  or  cajHurini^  the  entire  army 
ofMc(Mellan.  The  York  Hiver  raiii-oad.  it  will  he  renicmliered, 
runs  in  an  eastei'ly  direction,  intersecting^  the  Chickaiiominy 
about  ten  miles  from  the  city.  South  of  the  railroad  is  the 
Williamsburg  road,  connecting  with  the  Nine  Mile  road  at 
Seven  Pines.  The  former  road  connects  with  the  New  Bi-idge 
road,  which  turns  off  and  crosses  the  Chickaiiominy.  From 
Seven  Pines,  where  the  Nine  .Mile  road  joins  the  upper  one,  the 
road  is  known  as  the  ohl  Williamsburg  road,  and  crosses  the 
Chickaiiominy  at  Bottom's  bridge. 

With  the  beai'ing  of  these  localities  in  his  mind,  the  reader 
will  I'Oiidil}"  understand  how  it  was  that  the  encni}'  was  driven 
from  his  original  strongholds  on  the  noi'tli  side  of  the  Chicka- 
homiti}'.  and  how,  at  the  time  of  Friday's  battle,  he  had  been 
compelled  to  surrender  the  ])Ossession  of  the  Fredericksburg 
and  (.'entral  raili'oads,  and  had  been  pressed  to  a  position  where 
he  was  cut  off'  from  the  principal  avenues  of  su])pl3-  and  escape. 
The  disposition  of  our  forces  was  such  as  to  cut  off'  all  commu- 
nication between  McCiellan's  arm}-  and  the  White  House,  on 
the  Panuink(.'y  river  ;  he  had  been  driven  completely  from  his 
northern  lines  of  defences;  and  it  was  supposed  that  he  would 
be  unable  to  extricate  himself  from  his  position  without  a  vic- 
tory or  a  ca])itulation<  In  front  of  him,  with  the  Chieka- 
hominy,  \vhich  he  had  crossed,  iti  his  rear,  were  the  divisions 
of  (xenerals  Longstreet,  Magruder  and  linger,  and,  in  the  situ- 
ation as  it  existed  Saturdu}'  night,  all  linprs  of  bis  esca|ie  were 
thought  to  be  impossible. 

TlIK    BATTLE    OF    SAVAOK    STATION,  .SU.NDAY,    JUNE    TWENTY-NINE. 

Six  miles  fi-om  Richmond,  on  the  York  River  road,  the  enemy 
were  in  force  on  Saturday  night.  Uuring  the  night  our  pickets 
heard  them  busily  at  work  hammering,  sawing,  etc.  The 
rumble  of  cannon  carriages  was  also  constantl}'  audible.  Sun- 
day, about  noon,  our  troops  advanced  in  the  direction  of  the 


# 


15 

works,  which  were  found  deserted.  Their  entrencliments  were 
found  to  bo  Ibrmidahlo  and  elaborate.  That  immediately  across 
the  railroad,  at  the  six  mile  post,  which  had  been  supposed  to 
be  a  lii;ht  earthwoi-k,  desi<i;ned  to  sweep  tiie  railroad,  turned 
out  to  be  an  immense  embrasured  fortification,  extendinuj  for 
hundreds  of  yards  on  either  side  of  the  track,  and  ca])able  of 
protecting  ten  thousand  men.  Witliin  tins  Avork  were  found 
great  quantities  of  fixed  ammunition,  which  had  apj)arently 
been  prepared  for  removal,  and  then  deserted.  AH  the  cannon, 
as  at  other  entrenchments,  had  been  carried  off. 

After  passing  this  battery,  our  forces  cautiously  pushed  their 
way  down  the  railroad  and  to  the  right,  in  the  direction  of  the 
Seven  Pines.  At  three  o'clock  a  dense  column  of  smoke  was 
seen  to  issue  from  the  woods,  two  miles  in  advance  of  the  bat- 
tery and  half  a  mile  to  the  right  of  the  railroad.  The  smoke 
was  found  to  proceed  from  a  |)ei'fect  mountain  of  the  enemy's 
commissary  stores,  which  they  had  fired  and  deserted.  The 
pile  was  at  least  thirty  feet  high,  with  a  base  sixty  feet  in 
breadth,  consisting  of  sugar,  coffee  and  bacon,  butter,  j^rcpared 
meat,  vegetables,  etc.  The  fire  had  so  far  onvclojied  the  heap 
as  to  destroj^  the  value  of  its  contents.  The  field  and  woods 
around  this  spot  was  covered  with  evt^rj^  desci'iption  of  cloth- 
ing and  camp  equi]>age.  Blue  greatcoats  lined  the  earth  like 
leaves  in  Valambi-osa.  No  indication  was  wanting  that  the 
enemy  had  left  this  encampment  in  haste  and  disorder. 

About  one  o'clock,  a.  m.,  Sundaj'  morning,  our  pickets  down 
the  Nine  Mile  road  were  fiei'cely  attacked  by  the  enemy,  and  a 
severe  and  lively  fight  ensued.  The  enem}'  was  easily  driven 
back  with  loss  —  many  ])risoners  falling  in  our  hands.  Many 
of  the  Federals  threw  down  their  arms  and  surrendered  volun- 
tarily. Sunday  morning,  about  six  or  seven  o'clock,  another 
fierce  picket  fight  occurred. 

Later  in  the  day  the  enemj'  were  again  encountered  upon 
the  York  Iviver  railroad,  near  a  place  called  Savage's  Station; 
the  troo])s  engaged  on  our  side  l)eing  the  division  of  General 
McJjaws,  consisting  of  Generals  Kershaw  and  Semmes'  brig- 
ades, sujtported  by  General  (Tritfith's  brigade  from  Magruder's 
division.  The  Federals  were  found  to  be  strongly  i-ntrenched, 
and  as  soon  as  our  skirmishers  came  in  view,  they  wei-e  opened 
upon  with  a  furious  cannonade  from  a  park  of  field  pieces. 
Ki-mper's  battery  now  went  to  the  front,  and  for  three  hours 
the  battle  raged  hotly,  w^hen  the  discomfited  Yankees  again 
resumed  their  back  track.  It  was  during  this  fight  that  Gen- 
eral Griffith,  of  Mississippi,  one  of  the  heroes  of  Leesburg 
(where  he  commanded  the  Eighteenth  Mississij)pi  on  the  fall 
of  Colonel  Burt),  was  killed  by  the  fi-agment  of  a  shell,  which 
mangled  one  of  his  legs.  lie  was  the  only  general  officer 
killed  on  our  side  during  the  whole  of  that  bloody  week. 
Owing  to  a  most  unfortunate  accident,  much  of  our  success 


16 

was  marred.  Oar  own  troops,  iH'iiij^  mistaken  for  the  enemy, 
were  HihhI  into  by  the  Tweiity-tii-st  Mississi])pi  ro«i;iment,  as 
was  Jenkins'  South  Carolina  regiment  at  Manassas,  by  rein- 
forcements in  the  rear.  During  the  pursuit  the  railroad  Mer-' 
rimac  was  far  in  advance  of  our  men,  and  was  vigorously 
shelling  the  enem}-  at  every  turn. 

About  sundown.  Sunday,  General  Magruder's  division  came 
up  with  the  rear  of  the  enemj',  and  engaged  a  portion  of  his 
forces  for  about  an  hour  and  a  half  After  ]iassing  the  enemy's 
eanip,  on  the  York  River  railroad,  our  troops  pushed  after  the 
enemy,  and  came  u])  Avith  him  on  the  Williamsburg  road,  a 
mile  cast  of  the  Seven  Pines,  opposite  Mr.  William  Sedgwick's 
farm.  Tlie  enemy  were  posted  in  a  thick  piece  of  pines  north 
of  tiie  AVilliamsbiirg  road,  behind  entrenchments  of  great 
strength  and  eIal)orate  rinish.  The  Richmond  Howitzer  bat- 
talion i)egan  the  fight  by  shelling  the  woods.  From  the  direc- 
tion of  the  railroad,  Kershaw's  brigade  and  other  troops 
marched  down  the  Williamsburg  road,  and  dashed  into  the 
woods  by  a  tiank  movement  to  the  left.  Here  the  fight  raged 
furiously,  until  darkness  ])ut  an  end  to  the  contest.  Our  men 
laid  on  their  arms,  with  the  design  of  renewing  the  battle  with 
the  return  of  daylight. 

While  Magruder  was  thus  successfully  "  pushing  the  enemy 
to  the  wall  "  on  the  south  side  of  the  Chickabominy,  the  re- 
doul)table  Stuart  was  not  less  succcs.sful  on  the  north  side. 
])ashing  down  to  the  White  House  on  the  Pamunkey,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  an  immense  quantity  of  su]i])lies,  fixed  am- 
munition, rifled  ordnance,  railway  macbineiy  and  locomotives, 
wagoli  trains,  a  balloon  and  its  apjiaratus  ot'  inflation,  (piarter- 
master's  stores,  etc.,  with  one  thousand  five  hundred  ])ris()nei*s, 
besides  buiMiing  seventeen  large  transports  at  the  wharves. 

During  Sunday,  the  moi'titying  fact  became  known  to  our 
generals  that  McClellan  hatl  in  a  measure  succeeded  in  eluding 
us,  and  that,  having  massed  his  entire  force  on  the  Richmond 
side  of  the  Chickabominy,  he  was  retreating  toward  the  James 
river  —  having  stolen  a  march  of  twelve  hours  on  General 
linger,  who  liad  been  placed  in  a  position  on  his  flank,  to 
watch  his  movements. 

THE    BATTLK    ON    MONDAY,  JUNE    THIRTIETH. 

By  daybreak  on  Monda}-  morning,  the  pursuit  was  actively 
resumed.  D.  JI.  Hill,  Whiting  and  Ewell,  under  command  of 
Jackson,  crossed  the  Chickabominy  by  the  (Jrajicvine  bridge, 
and  followed  the  enemy  on  their  track  by  the  Williamsburg 
road  and  Savage  Station.  Longstreet,  A.  P.  Hill,  linger  and 
Magi'uder  pursued  the  enemy  by  the  Charles  City  road,  with 
the  intention  of  cutting  them  ott".  At  the  White  Oak  swamp, 
our  left  wing  came  upon  the  Yankee  forces  at  about  eleven 


17 

o'clock,  A.  M.  But  tliey  had  crossed  the  stream,  and  burnt 
the  bridge  behind  them.  Their  artillery  -vvas  also  posted 
in  immense  numbers,  commanding  both  the  bridge  and  the 
road,  (xcneral  Jackson,  with  Major  Crutchtield,  chief  of  his 
nrtillcry,  and  the  several  captains  of  D.  H.  Hill's  artillery,  hav- 
ing reconnoitred  the  position  of  the  enemy,  ordered  forward 
the  whole  of  D.  H.  IliU's  artiliery.  nndcr  Colonel  C'rutchficld. 
Under  cover  of  the  hill  on  the  left,  or  north  bank  of  the  AVhite 
Oak  swam)t,  our  artillery  was  brought  Ibrward,  thrown  rapidly 
upon  the  ci-est  of  the  hill,  and  suddenly  opened  lire  upon  the 
enemy's  batteries,  with  twentj'-six  field  pieces  in  seven  batter- 
ies. This  was  at  about  twelve  o'clock,  m.  A  tremendous  fire 
was  kept  n]i  from  the  batteries  on  both  sides — the  enemy  hav- 
ing in  |)osition  near  fifty  pieces.  During  this  time,  one  or  more 
of  the  enemy's  caissons  was  exploded,  while  they  suffered  with 
a  heavy  loss  of  men  and  horses.  The  enemy  then  fell  back 
some  distance  behind  a  skirt  of  woods,  abandoning  three  of 
their  guns  on  the  field,  and  there,  hidden  from  sight,  renewed 
the  fight  at  long  range,  which,  with  their  Parrot  guns,  gave 
them  great  advantage.  The  fight  of  artillery,  nevertlieless, 
continued  with  great  spirit  and  determination,  until  night 
closed  the  scene.  The  casualties  on  both  sides  in  this  tiglU 
were  very  heavy.  Indeed,  thi«  is  said  to  have  been  probably 
the  heaviest  fight  of  field  artillery  which  has  taken  place  during 
the  war. 

About  four  o'clock  Monday  afternoon,  General  Longstreet 
having  been  called  awa}',  the  command  of  his  division  was  as- 
sumed bj'  General  A.  P.  Hill,  who,  with  both  divisions — that  of 
Longstreet  and  his  own — engaged  the  enemy  at  a  later  hour  in 
the  evening.  The  battle  was  thus  fought  under  the  immediate 
and  sole  command  of  General  A.  P.  Hill,  in  charge  of  both  divis- 
ions. The  ])osition  of  the  enemy  was  about  five  miles  north- 
east of  Darbytown,  on  the  New  Market  road.  The  immediate 
ecene  of  the  battle  was  a  plain  of  sedge  pines,  in  the  cover  of 
which  the  enemy's  forces  were  skilfully  disposed. 

In  advancing  upon  the  enemy,  batteries  of  sixteen  heavy 
guns  were  opened  upon  the  advance  columns  of  General  Hill. 
Our  troops,  pressing  heroically  forward,  had  no  sooner  got 
within  musket  range,  tlum  the  enemy,  forming  several  lines  of 
battle,  poured  upon  them  from  his  heav}-  masses  a  devouring 
fire  of  musketry.  The  conflict  became  terrible;  the  ai)-  being 
filled  with  missiles  of  death,  every  moment  having  its  peculiar 
sound  of  terror,  and  everj-  spot  its  sight  of  ghastly  destruction 
and  horror.  Never  was  a  more  glorious  victory  })lucked  from 
more  desperate  and  thi-eatening  circumstances.  AVhiie  exposed 
to  the  double  tire  of  the  enemy's  battei'ies  and  his  musketiy,  we 
were  unable  to  contend  with  him  with  artillery.  But,  although 
thus  unmatched,  the  heroic  command  of  (General  Hill  pressed 
on  with  unquailing  vigor  and  a  resistless  courage,  driving  the 
Li 


18 

enemy  before  them.  This  was  accomplished  without  artillery, 
thcrcbcing  but  one  battery  in  General  Hill's  command  on  the 
spot,  and  that  belonged  to  Longsl reel's  division,  and  could  not 
be  ijot  into  position.  Thus  the  fi'^ht  continued  with  an  ardor 
and  devotion  that  low  hattle-fickls  have  ever  illustrated.  Step 
"by  stc])  the  enemy  were  driven  back,  his  guns  taken,  and  the 
ground  he  abaiidoned  strewn  with  his  dead,  l^v  half-past  eight 
o'clock  we  had  taken  all  his  cannon,  and.  continuing  to  ad- 
vance, had  driven  him  a  mile  and  a  half  from  his  ground  of 
battle.  Our  forces  were  still  advancing  upon  the  retreating 
lines  of  the  enemy.  It  was  now  about  liall-past  nine  o'clock, 
and  very  dark.  Suddenly,  as  if  it  had  burst  from  the  heavens, 
a.  «heet  of  fire  enveloped  the  front  of  our  advance.  The  enemy 
had  made  another  stand  to  receive  us,  and  from  the  black 
masses  of  his  forces,  it  was  evident  that  it  had  been  heavily 
reinforced,  and  that  another  whole  corps  d'armee  had  been 
brought  up  to  contest  the  fortunes  of  the  night.  Line  afler 
line  of  battle  was  formed.  It  was  evident  that  his  heaviest 
eolunins  were  now  being  thrown  against  Hill's  small  com- 
mand, and  it  might  have  been  supposed  that  he  would  only 
be  satisfied  with  its  annihilation.  The  loss  here  on  our  side 
was  teri-ible. 

The  situation  being  evidently  hopeless  for  any  further  pur- 
suit of  the  fugitive  enemy,  who  had  now  brought  up  such 
overwhelming  furccs,  trcnoral  Hill  retired  slowly.  At  this  mo- 
ment, seeing  their  advcrsar}^  retire,  the  most  vociferous  cheers 
arose  along  the  Avhole  Yankee  line.  The}'  were  taken  up  in  the 
■distance  by  the  masses  which  for  miles  and  miles  beyond  were 
supporting  McClellan's  front.  It  was  a  luoment  when  the 
heart  of  the  stoutest  commander  might  have  been  aj^palled. 
General  Hill's  situation  was  now  as  desperate  as  it  well  could 
be,  and  required  a  courage  and  presence  of  mind  to  retrieve  it, 
which  the  circumstances  which  surrounded  him  were  not  well 
calculated  to  inspii*e.  His  command  had  fought  for  five  or  six 
hours  without  reinforcements.  All  his  reserves  had  been 
brought  up  \\\  the  action.  Wilcox's  brigade,  which  had  been 
almost  annihilated,  was  reforming  in  the  rear.  Eiding  ra])idly 
to  the  position  of  this  brigade,  General  Hill  brought  tluMn,  by 
o-reat  exertions,  up  to  the  front  to  check  the  advance  of  this 
now  confident,  cheering  enemy.  Catching  the  spirit  of  their 
commander,  the  brave  but  jaded  men  moved  up  to  the  front, 
replying  to  the  enem^-'s  cheers  with  shouts  and  yells.  At  this 
demonstration,  which  the  enemy,  no  doubt,  supposed  signified 
heav}^  reinforcements,  he  stopped  his  advance.  It  was  now 
about  half-past  ten  o'clock  in  the  night.  The  enemy  had  been 
arrested;  and  the  fight — one  of  the  most  remarkable,  long- 
contested  and  gallant  ones  that  has  yet  occurred  on  our  lines — 
was  concluded  with  the  achievement  of  the  field  under  the  most 
trying  circumstances,  which  the  enemy,  with  the  most  over- 


19 

powerini^  numbers  brought  up  to  reinforce  him,  had  not  suc- 
ceeded in  reclaim inp;. 

The  battle  of  ]\Ionday  night  was  fought  exclusively  by  Gen- 
eral A.  P.  llill  and  the  Ibrccs  under  his  command.  General 
Magruder's  division  did  not  come  up  until  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  after  the  fight  had  been  concluded.  By  orders  from 
General  Lee,  Magrtidor  moved  upon  and  occupied  the  battle 
ground;  General  Hill's  command  being  in  a  condition  of  pros- 
tration from  their  long  and  toilsome  fight,  and  sulfcring  in 
killed  and  wounded,  that  it  was  proper  the}''  should  be  relieved 
by  the  occupation  of  the  battle  ground  by  a  fresh  corps  (V  armee. 
In  the  long  and  bitter  conflict  wi)ich  (Tcneral  Hill  had  sustain- 
ed with  tlie  enemy,  he  had  driven  him  about  a  mile  and  a  half; 
and,  at  the  conclusion  of  the  battle,  although  he  had  retired 
somewhat,  he  still  held  the  ground  from  which,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  action,  he  had  driven  the  enemy. 

President  Davis  was  on  the  field  during  the  day,  and  made  a 
narrow  escape  from  injury,  which  might  possibly  have  proven 
fatal.  Lie  had  taken  jjosition  in  a  house  near  the  scene,  when 
word  was  sent  him  by  General. Lee  to  leave  it  at  once,  as  it 
was  threatened  with  danger.  He  had-  scarcely  complied  with 
the  advice  before  the  house  was  literally  riddled  with  shell 
from  the  enemy's  batteries.  « 

Prisoners  state  that  on  Monday  evening  McClellan  addressed 
his  ti-oops  in  an  animated  strain,  conjuring  them  "  for  God's 
sake,  and  the  sake  of  their  country,  and  the  old  flag  around 
which  so  many  fond  recollections  cluster,  to  join  in  one  more 
last  struggle  to  reach  our  gunboats  on  the  James  river.  I  have 
been  frustrated  in  all  my  plans  against  Richmond.  We  must 
cut  our  way  to  the  river,  and  then  I  shall  await  reinforcements. 
I  do  not  give  up  the  hope  of  yet  capturing  Pichmond."  Their 
fighting  subsequently  showed  that  his  words  were  not  without 
effect.  Luring  the  night  the  enemy  retreated  again  down  the 
Quaker  road  toward  Malvern  hill,  about  a  half  mile  within  the 
intersection  of  the  New  3Iarket,  or  Piver  road,  and  the  Quaker 
road.  Here  he  took  strong  position  on  this  hill,  about  two 
miles  and  a  half  from  his  gunboats  on  the  James  river.  This 
closed  the  scene  of  Monday. 

THE   BATTLE    OF   TUESDAY,   JULY    FIRST. 

The  army  of  McClellan  was  now  getting  into  the  triangle 
formed  by  the  three  roads  already  alluded  to,  and  in  which  it 
was  hoped  that  he  would  be  entrajiped.  It  was  in  this  area 
that  the  great  battle  of  Tuesday  took  place.  All  of  our  forces, 
however,  failed  to  be  in  position  in  tl)e  rigiit  time,  and  those  in 
the  rear,  who  were  to  cut  him  off  and  hem  him  in,  allowed  the 
game  to  slip  from  their  hands  and  quietlj'  make  his  escape, 
which  he  subsequently  did  by  roads  easil}'^  traceable  on  the 
map. 


20 

McCIcllan,  in  making  his  way  in  all  haste,  bjit  in  s:ood  order, 
to  the  waters  of  Janaes  river,  had  reached  on  Tuesday,  July  1, 
a  point  abont  Sixteen  miles  below  Kichmond,  and  two  miles 
above  Turkey  island,  where  it  was  determined  to  make  a  stand, 
with  the  purpose  of  effectually  coverini^  the  retreat  of  the  main 
body  to  their  irunboats.  The  ground  was  admirably  chosen. 
An  elevated  plateau  of  twelve  hundred  yards  in  length  and 
tlirec  hundred  and  fifty  yards  width,  lay  betAveen  a  skirt  of 
woods,  dark  and  dense,  and  a  ])lantation  <lwelling,  which  will 
be  known  in  tiie  official  reports  as  "Crew's  house,"  with  its 
surrounding  buildings.  l'j)on  the  crest  of  a  gentle  slope  in 
front  of  this  country  seat  the  Yankees  planted  lour  heavy  bat- 
teries, commanding  the  plateau,  and  every  square  yard  of  it, 
to  the  woods. 

On  Tuesda}'  morning  1).  11.  Hill's  division,  on  the  right  of 
Jackson,  Whiting,  Ewell  and  Jackson's  own  division  on  the  left 
(Jackson  commanding  the  three  latter  divisions),  crossed  the 
White  Oak  bridge,  and  took  up  their  position  in  this  oi'dcr  on 
the  left  of  our  line,  at  about  three  o'clock,  r.  ivi.  D.  H.  Hill's 
artillery  was  sent  to  the  rear,  to  rest.  Longstreet,  A.  P.  Hill, 
Magruder  and  ]luger,  on  our  right  wing,  pushed  down  the 
Long  Bridge  road  in  pursuit,  and  took  position  on  the  left  and 
front  of  the  enemy,  under  fire  of  all  his  artiiiory  on  land  and 
"water. 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  the  skirmishei*s  of  our 
pursuing  column,  on  emerging  from  the  wood,  were  met  by  the 
tire  of  the  enemy,  and  fell  back  to  report  to  the  commanding 
general,  Magruder,  M'hose  division,  embracing  the  brigades  of 
Howell  Cobb,  Toombs,  Wright  and  Armistead,  was  in  the 
advance.  Two  batteries  of  light  artillery,  ti rimes'  and  the 
Second  Kichmond  Howitzers,  were  immediately  oi-dcrctl  to  take 
position  in  the  cleared  field,  some  fitly  yards  J'rom  the  edge  of 
the  forest,  and  to  open  fire  upon  the  enemy's  batteries,  while 
the  infantry  were  drawn  up  under  cover  of  the  woods,  to  be 
pushed  across  the  field  at  the  pro))er  moment.  Grimes'  battery 
was  thrown  into  hopeless  disorder  by  the  killing  of  three  of  its 
horses  and  the  wounding  of  several  others  in  the  act  of  taking 
its  gi'ound,  and  never  did  get  into  position;  whereu])on,  the 
Purcell  battery,  Captain  Pcgram,  was  ortlered  to  replace  it. 
The  Howitzers  and  Ca])tain  Pegrani's  veterans  at  once  ojiened 
a  furious  cannonade  on  the  Yankees,  fii-ing  with  gi'cat  steadi- 
ness and  effect,  but  so  desolating  was  the  rain  of  shot,  shell  and 
spherical-case  showered  u])on  them  by  the  enemy's  guns,  which 
had  obtained  the  exact  rang(\  that  they  were  greatly  cut  up  in 
a  short  time  and  had  to  be  witlnlrawn.  At  the  same  nionient,  a 
column  of  not  moi'e  than  si.x  hundred  ('onfederate  trooj)S,  which 
had  moved  with  wonderlul  precision  and  celerity  across  the 
plateau,  to  a  point  within  one  luindivd  and  fift}'  yards  of  the 
Yankee  batteries,  were  eomj^elled  to  retire  with  heavy  loss  and 


<i 


21 

in  some  disorder.  The  Letcher  Artillery,  of  six  pieces,  under 
command  of  Captain  Davidson,  was  now  ordered  to  tlie  spot 
till  tlien  occupied  by  the  Purcoll  batterj'',  and  getting  their 
guns  quickly  in  place,  despite  the  withering  tempest  of  flame 
and  iron,  commenced  to  serve  them  with  the  utmost  efficiency, 
firing  twelve  or  fifteen  discharges  to  the  minute,  while  a  second 
column  of  infantry  advanced  through  the  cleared  space  at 
double-quick  to  storni  tlie  terrible  batteries  of  the  foe.  The  fire 
was  now  ajipalling,  and  to  add  to  the  horrors  of  the  scene,  the 
gunboats  of  the  enem}*  in  the  river  begaa  to  throw  the  most 
tremendous  jirqjectilcs  into  the  field.  The  column  moved  on 
nearer  and  yet  nearer,  its  ranks  thinned  at  every  moment,  and 
lost  to  sight  in  the  thick  curtain  of  smoke  which  overspread  the 
crimsoned  battle-ground.  But  once  again  the  whirlwind  of 
death  threw  the  advancing  mass  of  gallant  men  into  inextrica- 
ble disorder,  and  the}'  retired.  Still  the  Letcher  Artillery  held 
its  ground.  A  brave  lieutenant  and  two  of  the  men  had  been 
killed  at  their  pieces,  nineteen  others  had  fallen  wounded  by 
their  side,  and  the  horses  were  piled  around  them  in  hea]is,  a 
caisson  had  exploded,  yet  their  fire  was  kept  up  as  steadily  as 
if  thej'  had  been  firing  a  holiday  salute.  An  hour  and  a  half  or 
more  had  now  passed  since  the  opening  of  the  battle,  and  a 
third  column  upon  the  centre  moved  onward  to  the  Yaakeo 
guns.  The  dark  mass  soon  disappeared  in  the  cloud  Aviiich 
enveloped  all  objects,  and  though  it  lost  strength  and  solidity  at 
every  step,  in  the  brave  fellows  who  fell  struck  b}'  the  hurtling 
missiles  that  strewed  the  air,  it  still  gained  the  slope  where 
stood  the  enemy's  batteries,  but  only  to  be  driven  back,  as  had 
been  their  comrades  before  them.  J\[eanwhile  the  indomitable 
Jackson  had  assailed  the  enemy  with  great  energ}-  on  the  right 
of  their  position,  and  soon  drove  them  from  the  field.  The  dusk 
of  evening,  deepening  into  darkness,  favored  the  retreat  of  the 
Yankees,  Avho  succeeded  in  carrying  off  their  pieces,  though 
with  a  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  equal  to,  if  not  greater  than 
our  own. 

Thus  closed  the  terrible  battle  of  the  1st  of  July.  The  battle- 
field and  the  region  round  about,  seemed  as  if  the  lightnings 
of  heaven  had  scathed  and  blasted  it.  The  forest  shows  in  the 
splintered  branches  of  a  thousand  trees,  the  fearful  havoc  of  the 
artillery;  the  houses  are  riddled,  the  fences  uttcrl}'  demolished, 
the  earth  itself  plowed  up  in  many  places  for  3'ards ;  hei'e 
stands  a  dismantled  caisson,  there  a  broken  gun-carriage; 
thick  and  many  are  the  graves,  the  sods  over  which  yet1)ear 
the  marks  of  the  blood  of  their  occupants;  on  the  plateau, 
across  whose  surface  for  hours  the  utmost  fury  of  the  battle 
raged,  the  tender  corn  that  had  grown  u[»  as  high  as  the  knee, 
betrays  no  sign  of  having  ever  "laughed  and  sung"  in  the 
breeze  of  early  summer;  everything,  in  short,  but  the  blue 
heaven  above,  speaks  of  the  carnival  of  death  which  was  there 


so  ffipjhtfully  aiUbrated.  Aliout  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
field  stands  on  tlpp  roadside  the  liouse  occupied  by  (leneral  Leo 
as  liis  liead-quartei-s  during  the  battle.  The  weather-boarding 
and  tlie  shingled  roof  exhibit  abundant  evidences  of  tiie  terrible 
nature  of  the  cannonade.  The  elongated  shells  thrown  by  the 
gunboats  were  most  feai-ful  jirojoctiles,  measuring  twenty-two 
inches  in  length  b}'  eight  in  diameter.  It  is  remarkable  that, 
as  far  as  we  Unow,  the  only  damage  done  by  them  was  to  the 
enenn*.  Not  having  the  proper  range,  the  gunners  so  elevated 
their  pieces  as  to  let  these  messenger?}  of  death  fall  mostly 
among  the  ranks  of  their  own  men.  The  effect  of  one  which 
burst  near  Crew's  house  Avas  indescribably  I'atal.  It  struck  a 
gun  of  one  of  the  batteries,  shattering  it  into  fragments,  and 
by  the  explosion,  which  followed  instantaneously,  seven  mc'n 
standing  near  the  piece  were  killed  in' the  twinkling  of  an  eye. 
They  fell  without  the  movement  of  a  muscle,  in  the  very  atti- 
tudes they  occupied  the  moment  before,  stilfcning  at  once  into 
the  stony  fixedness  of  death.  One,  indeed,  was  almost  blown 
into  annihilation;  but  another  was  seen  still  grasping  the  lan- 
3'ard  of  the  gun;  yet  another,  belonging  to  an  infantry  regi- 
ment, held  in  his  hand  the  ramrod  with  which  he  was  driving 
home  the  load  in  his  Belgian  rifie;  while  a  fourth,  with  clench- 
ed lips,  i-etained  in  his  mouth  the  little  portion  of  the  cartridge 
he  iiad  just  bitten  off.  The  faces  of  the  victims  even  still  ex- 
pressed the  emotions  which  animated  them  in  battle  —  indiffer- 
ence, ho2)e.  terror,  triumph,  rage,  Avere  there  dej^icted,  but  no 
trace  of  tno  suffering  which  should  be  caused  by  the  death- 
pang.  The}^  had  passed  into  eternity  unconscious  of  the  shaft 
that  sent  them  there  ! 

WEDNESDAY,  JULY    SECOND. 

The  severe  struggle  of  Tuesday  had  given  the  main  body  of 
McClellan's  ai-my  ample  time  to  reach  the  much-coveted  posi- 
tions in  the  neigliborhood  of  lierkeley  and  Westover,  on  the 
James  river,  wiiere,  availing  themselves  of  the  strong  natui-al 
defences  of  the  ])lace,  and  under  cover  of  their  gunboats,  they 
were  i-elieved  from  the  aj^prehension  of  an  immediate  attack. 
In  this  situation  of  affairs,  a  description  of  the  locality  and 
topograpiiieal  features  of  the  enemy's  selected  place  of  refuge, 
will  be  matter  of  interest. 

Berkelc}-,  now  the  residence  of  Dr.  Starke,  lies  on  the  north 
side  of  James  river,  five  miles  below  City  Point,  and  by  the 
course  of  the  river  sixty-five  miles,  but  by  the  Charles  City 
road  not  more  than  twenty-five  miles  from  ilichmond.  The 
building,  an  old-fashioned  brick  edifice,  stands  upon  an  emi- 
nence a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  river,  in  a  grove  of  Lom- 
bardy  poplars  and  other  trees.  President  Harrison  was  born 
here  in  1773. 


*  23 

The  AVcstovcr  plantation,  lon2;  tlic  seat  of  the  distinguished 
family  of  Bynis,  and  at  ])rcsent  owned  by  Mr.  John  Selden, 
adjoins  Berkele}'  on  the  east,  the  dwellipg-houses  beino;  some 
four  nules  apart.  Charles  City  Court-hiuBe  is  between  eight 
and  ten  miles  east  of  the  latter  ]jlace.  If  U  not  to  be  supposed 
the  enem}'  selected  these  ])lantations  as  the  scene  of  his  last 
great  stand  without  good  reasons.  The  first  and  most  apparent 
of  the.se  is,  that  the  Westover  landing  is,  perhaps,  the  very  best 
on  James  river;  and  the  stream,  for  miles  up  and  down,  being 
broad  and  deep,  affords  both  excellent  sea  room  and  anchorage 
for  his  gunlioats  and  transports.  But  this  is  b}^  no  means  the 
only  advantage  of  the  position.  On  the  west  of  Berkeley  are 
innumerable  impassable  i-avines,  running  from  near  the  Charles 
Cit}'  road,  on  the  north,  to  James  river,  making  a  successful 
attack  from  that  quarter  next  to  impossible.  Within  a  quarter 
of  a  mile  of  where  these  ravines  begin.  Herring  Run  creek 
crosses  the  Charles  City  road,  and  running  in  a  southeasterly 
direction,  skirts,  on  the  north  and  east,  the  plantations  of 
Berkeley  and  Wew)ver,  and  empties  into  James  river  at  the 
extreme  eastern  lioundary  of  the  latter.  The  Avhoie  course  of 
this  creek  is  one  impassable  morass,  while  along  its  northern 
and  eastern  banks  extend  the  heights  of  Evelinton  —  along 
range  of  hills  that  overlook  the  Westover  and  Berkeley  cstatcH, 
and  which  offer  eligible  ])Ositions  for  heavy  guns.  It  will  be 
seen  that,  protected  •  on  the  south  by  the  river  and  his  gun- 
boats, on  the  west  by  impassable  ravines,  and  on  the  north  and 
east  b}-  Herring  creek  and  the  heights  of  Evelinton,  the  enemy's 
position  presents  but  one  ])regnable  point  —  the  piece  of  level 
country  northwest  of  Westover,  from  a  quarter  to  a  half  mile 
in  width.  lying  betw^een  the  head  of  the  ravines  and  the  point 
where  Herring  creek'  crosses  the  Charles  City  road.  But  it 
required  only  a  very  brief  period  for  the  enemy,  with  his  im- 
mense resources  of  men  and  machinery,  to  obstruct  b}^  art  this 
onl}-  natural  entrance  to  his  stronghold.  Already  it  was  within 
range  of  his  gunboats,  and  of  his  siege  guns  planted  on  the 
Evelinton  hills;  another  day  saw  it  strewn  Avith  felled  timber 
and  bristling  with  field  batteries. 

The  James  river  was  soon  covered  with  the  transports  and 
gunboats  of  the  enem}-,  and  McClellan,  secure  in  his  "new  base 
of  Ojierations,"  vigorouslj-  began  the  work  of  infusing  courage 
and  confidence  among  his  beaten  and  demoralized  troops.  On 
the  4th  of  July  he  issued  the  following  address,  which,  consid- 
ering the  events  immediately  ijreceding,  is  certainly  a  rather 
remarkable  document : 

Head-quarters  Army  of  the  Potomac, 

Camp  near  Harrison's  Landing,  July  4, 1862. 

Soldiers  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac !  Your  achievements  of 
the  past  ten  days  have  illustrated  the  valor  and  endurance  of 


24 

the  American  soldier.  Attacked  by  superior  forces,  and  with- 
out hopes  of  reinforcements,  you  have  succeeded  in  chan_i;in^ 
your  base  of  operations  by  u  flank  movement,  al\va3'8  reganled 
as  the  most  hazardous  of  militar}-  oj>erations.  You  have  saved 
all  your  guns  except  a  few  lost  in  battle,  taking  in  return  gun« 
and  colors  from  the  enemy. 

Upon  your  marcli  you  have  been  assailed,  da}'  after  day, 
with  desperate  fury,  by  men  of  tlie  same  race  and  nation  skil- 
fully massed  and  led.  Under  every  disadvantage  of  number, 
and  necessarily  of  position  also,  you  have  in  ever}'  conflict 
beaten  back  your  foes  with  enormous  slaughter. 

Your  conduct  ranks  you  among  the  celebrated  armies  of 
history.  None  will  now  question  what  each  of  you  may 
always,  Avith  pride,  say :  "  1  belonged  to  tlie  Army  of  the  Potomac." 
You  have  reached  this  new  base  complete  in  organization  and 
unimpaired  in  spirit.  The  enemy  may  at  any  time  attack 
you — we  are  prepared  to  meet  them.  1  have  personally  estab- 
lished your  lines.  Let  them  come,  and  wo  will  convort  their 
repulse  into  a  final  defeat.  '• 

Your  government  is  strengthening  you  with  the  resources  of 
a  great  people.  On  this,  our  nation's  birthday,  Ave  declare  to 
our  foes,  Avho  are  rebels  against  the  best  interests  of  mankind, 
that  this  army  shall  enter  the  capital  of  the  so-called  Confed- 
eracy; that  our  National  Constitution  shall  prevail,  and  that 
the  Union,  Avliich  can  alone  insure  internal  peace  and  external 
security  to  each  state,  must  and  shall  be  preserved,  cost  what 
it  may,  in  time,  treasure  and  blood. 

Geo.  B.  McClellan, 
Major-General  Commanding. 

This  narrative  cannot  be  better  concluded  than  by  the  repro- 
duction of  the  following  general  orders  of  General  liCe,  in 
reference  to  the  battle.  These  orders  give  an  official  and  jirob- 
ably  the  most  trustworthy  summary  of  the  results  that  can 
noAV  be  had,  and  afford  a  striking  contrast  to  the  address  of 
General  McClellan  : 

Head-quarters  in  the  Field, 
IGeneral  Orders,  No.  75.]  July  7,  1862. 

■  The  General  commanding,  profoundly  grateful  to  the  oidy 
Giver  of  all  victory  for  the  signal  success  Avith  Avhich  he  has 
blessed  our  arms,  tenders  his  warmest  thanks  and  congratula- 
tions to  the  army  by  Avhose  valor  such  splendid  results  have 
been  achieved. 

On  Thursday,  June  2G,  the  powerful  and  thoroughly  equipped 
army  of  the  enemy  Avas  entrenched  in  Avorks  vast  in  extent 
and  most  formidable  in  character,  Avithin  sight  of  our  capital. 

To-day  the  remains  of  that  confident  and  threatening  host 
lie  upon  the  banks  of  James  river,  thirty  miles  from  Richmond, 


26 

seekinui;  to  recover,  iindcr  the  protection  of  liis  gunboats,  from 
the  effects. of  a  series  of  disastrous  defeats. 

The  battle  begiiuiiiii^  on  the  afternoon  of  the  2Gtli  June,  above 
Mechanicsville, "continued  until  the  night  of  July  1,  with  only 
such  intervals  as  were  necessar}-  to  pursue  and  overtake  tho 
flying  foe.  His  strong  entrenchments  and  obstinate  resistance 
were  overcome,  and  our  arm}^  swept  rei^istlessly  down  the  north 
side  of  the  Chickahoniin}-,  until  it  reached  the  rear  of  the 
enemy,  and  broke  his  communication  with  tho  York,  capturing 
or  causing  the  destruction  of  many  valuable  stores,  and,  by 
tho  decisive  battle  of  Friday,  forcing  the  enemy  from  bis  line 
of  powerful  fortifications  on  the  south  side  of  the  Chicka- 
lAmin}^  and  driving  him  to  a  precipitate  retreat.  This  victo- 
rious army  pursued,  as  ra]iidiy  as  the  obstructions  placed  by 
the  enemy  in  his  roar  would  permit,  three  times  overtaking  his 
flying  column,  and  as  often  driving  him  with  slaughter  from 
the  field,  leaving  his  numerous  dead  and  wounded  in  our  hands 
in  every  conflict. 

The  immediate  fruits  of  our  success  are  the  relief  of  Ivich- 
mond  from  a  state  of  siege,  the  rout  of  the  great  army  that  so 
long  menaced  its  safety,  many  thousand  prisoners,  including 
officers  of  high  rank,  the  capture  or  destruction  of  stores  to 
the  value  of  millions,  and  the  acquisition  of  thousands  of  arms, 
and  fifty-one  pieces  of  superior  artillery. 

The  service  rendered  to  the  country  in  this  short  but  event- 
ful period  can  scarcely  be  estimated,  and  the  general  command- 
ing cannot  adequately  express  his  admiration  of  the  courage, 
endurance  and  soldierly  conduct  of  the  officers  and  men  en- 
gaged. 

Those  brilliant  results  have  cost  us  many  brave  men  ;  but 
while  we  mourn  the  loss  of  our  gallant  dead,  let  us  not  forget 
that  they  died  nobly  in  defence  of  their  country's  freedom,  and 
have  linked  their  memory  with  an  event  that  will  live  for  ever 
in  the  hearts  of  agratoful  people. 

Soldiers!  Your  country  will  thank  you  for  the  heroic  con- 
duct you  have  displayed — conduct  worthy  of  men  engaged  in  a 
cause  so  just  and  sacred,  and  deserving  a  nation's  gratitude  and 
praise. 

By  command  of  Greneral  Lee. 

R.  II.  Chilton,  A.  A.  General 


A    RKVIEW    OF    THE    HATTLE,  AND    ITS    RESULTS. 

The  following  clear  and  impartial  review  of  tho  conduct  and 
results  of  the  battles  is  taken  from  the  columns  of  the  Rich- 
mond Kxaminer  of  Tuesday,  July  8  : 

We  have  now  reached  a  period  at  which  we  may  calculate 


20 

the  value  of  the  result  of  the  i^reat  battle  of  Richmond,  and 
make  a  summary  review  of  the  grand  diorama  of  events  that 
have  so  recently  passed  before  our  ej'es.  We  propose  to  do 
this  in  a  historical  spirit,  without  reference  to  the  mean  objects 
of  ])ersonal  compliment  or  jiersonal  detraction,  anxious  only  to 
intei'))ret  with  justice  and  intelli<;cnce  the  events  of  the  j)ast 
week,  and  to  define  the  I'csult  of  one  of  the  i^ravest  incidents 
tliat  has  3'et  occurred  in  the  history  of  tlie  war. 

The  general  estimation  of  the  battle  of  Richmond,  expressed 
in  a  S])irit  of  candor,  would  be  that  it  was  a  most  excellent 
plan,  indiflPerentl}"  executed  in  the  field.  The  work  of  tho 
closet  was  good.  The  design  was  cOm])rehensive  and  saga- 
cious; and  calculations  upon  which  it  was  based  were  iiiee!y 
arranged ;  but  its  execution,  unfortunately,  was  full  of  flaws, 
which,  to  some  degree,  have  marred  the  results  of'our  victory, 
or  reduced  them  below  public  expectation.  Reviewijig  the 
situation  of  the  two  armies  at  the  commencement  of  the  action, 
the  advantage  was  entirely  our  own,  the  fact  being  that  the 
plan  of  McClellan  was  as  defective  as  our  own  was  excellent. 
He  had  divided  his  army  on  the  two  sides  of  the  Chickahominy, 
and  o]ierating  apparently  with  the  design  of  half  circumvallat- 
ing  Jiichmond — which  Avas  exceedingly  foolish,  considering  the 
size  and  situation  of  this  city — he  had  spread  out  his  forces  to 
an  extent  that  impaired  the  faculty  of  concentration,  and  had 
made  a  weak  and  dangerous  extension  of  his  lines. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  attack  was  made  on  our  side  by 
a  rear  and  flank  movement  at  the  same  time,  intending  to 
crush  the  enemy  successively  along  the  whole  extent  of  his 
lines,  from  Mechaiiicsville  to  liis  batteries  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Chickahominy,  and  on  that  side  of  the  river  to  fall  upon 
him  with  the  whole  weight  of  our  forces,  with  the  expectation 
of  putting  him  to  a  general  rout. 

A  most  remarkable  feature  of  all  tho  battles  ivhich  attended 
the  general  line  of  movement  we  hav'e  described  is,  that  at  no 
time  were  more  than  twenty  thousand  Confederates  actually 
engaged  with  the  enemy.  After  the  first  demonstration  in 
force  on  the  enemy's  extreme  right,  he  retired  from  Mechan- 
icsville  and  we  pursued.  AVhcn,  by  this  retiring  movement,  he 
had  concentrated,  as  he  supposed,  sufiicient  iroops  to  contest  a 
decisive  field  with  us,  we  fell  upon  him  with  one  division  at  a 
time.  The  consequence  of  imperfect  attacks  was  that  the 
eneni}'  was  never  crushed,  though  he  was  always  defeated.  It 
is  not  unreasonable  to  su])]iose,  in  view  of  what  was  accom- 
plished by  piecemeal,  that  if,  at  any  critical  time,  several  divis- 
ions had  been  thrown  ujion  the  enemy,  he  would  have  been 
routed,  demoralization  would  have  ensued,  and  the  result  of  our 
victor}--  been  fully  and  summarilj-  accomplished. 

By  the  desperate  valor  of  our  troops  and  the  conspicuous 
exertions  of  General  Ambrose  P.  Hill,  whose  division  was  in 


27 

the  extreme  advance,  and  was  en£!;aG;cd  successively  at  Elly- 
Bon's  mills,  Cold  Harbor,  and  Frazier's  farm,  eacli  of  the  fields 
was  hiirnalized  by  tbe  success  of  our  arms.  But,  with  the 
remarkable  and  liard-fought  field  iit  Frazier's  farm,  our  con- 
gratulations must  sto]).  The  brilliant  chain  of  victories  is 
broken  here.  After  all  that  had  been  achieved,  and  all  that 
had  been  expended' in  the  toil  and  blood  of  three  days'  tii^htin!;;, 
we  had  failed  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  retreat  to  the  river,  and  to 
accomplish  the  most  important  condition  for  the  completion  of 
our  victory.  The  whole  army  of  McClellan  had  passed  alonii; 
our  rijLjht  wing,  and  had  been  permitted,  as  it  were,  to  slip 
through  our  fingers.  There  is  nothing  in  the  subsequent  opera- 
tions of  our  forces  to  repair  the  effects  of  this  fatal  i)lunder.  At 
Malvern  hill  the  result  to  us  was  deplorable  in  the  amount  of 
our  loss,  and  negative  as  to  any  advantages  gained  over  the 
enemy. 

VVc  are  unwilling,  however,  to  dwell  with  any  pertinacity 
upon  errors  which  have  diminished  the  fruits  of  our  victory, 
or  even  upon  such  staring  and  enormous  blunders  as  gave  to  a 
defeated  enem}'  open  egress  to  the  strongest  places  of  i-efuge 
he  could  have  desired,  as  long  as  we  may  congratulate  our- 
selves that  the  result  of  the  battle  of  Richmond,  as  a  whole, 
is  a  success  to  the  Confedcrac}-,  and  a  most  grateful  relief  to 
the  long-pent  up  anxieties  of  the  people  of  the  South.  We 
have  raised;  at  least  for  a  time,  the  siege  of  Richmond;  we 
have  the  moral  effect  of,  at  least,  three  distinct  victories ;  and 
we  have  taken  from  the  defeated  enemy  a  rich  and  splendid 
prize,  in  stores,  artillery  and  prisoners.  So  far,  the  result  of 
the  battle  of  Richmond  is  pleasing  and  grateful  to  the  country. 
The  mixture  of  disappointment  is  in  the  undeniable  fact  that 
McClellan  and  his  army  still  exist,  when  we  might  easily  have 
destro^-ed  both. 

The  ^.'orthern  newspapers  claim  that  the  movements  of 
McClellan  from  the  Chickahominy  river  were  purely  strategic. 
Up  to  the  first  decisive  stage  in  the  series  of  engagements — 
Cold  Harbor — there  were  certainly  plain  strategic  designs  in 
his  backward  movement.  Hi»i  retirement  from  Mechanicsvillo 
was  probably  voluntary,  and  intended  to  concentrate  his  troops 
lower  down,  where  he  might  fight  with  the  advantages  of 
numbers  and  his  own  selection  of  position.  At  Eil3-son's  mills 
he  had  a  strong  position,  which  was  contested  with  des])erato 
obstinacy  and  taken  by  desperate  valor.  Continuing  his  re- 
treat, however,  he  fixed  the  decisive  field  at  Cold  Harbor, 
where  he  had  massed  his  troops  and  brought  up  to  action  his 
trusted  regiments  of  old  United  States  regulars.  He  was  at- 
tacked by  (ieneral  Hill's  division  in  advance,  anil  at  this  critic.il 
juncture  is  to  be  found  the  most  doubtful  ])redicament  in  which 
the  fortunes  of  the  long  and  elaborate  contest  ai-ound  Rich- 
mond ever  .steed.     Had  McClellan  won  the  day  here,  his  right 


28 

Avin^  would  have  been  in  advance  upon  Eichmond,  ami  Ids 
strato^'V  would  have  been  brilliantly  succesHful.  Tlie  turninjj 
point  of  the  battle  was  when  KwcH's  division  ajipeared  anmiig 
the  trees  baek  of  the  fork  of  tiie  roads  and  the  liou^se  whieh 
constitute  the  loealit}'^  of  (7)hJ  IIarl)or.  The  rest  of  Jackson's 
army,  and  a  part,  we  believe,  of  (rcneral  Tjongstreet's  division, 
apjieared  on  the  field  some  time  after  this,  nnd  the  battle  was 
gained. 

IJavinc:  been  pushed  from  his  strongholds  north  of  the 
Chickahominy,  the  enemy  made  a  stroni;-  attempt  to  retrieve 
his  disasters  by  renewin;^  a  concentration  of  his  troo])8  at  I'^ra- 
zier's  farm.  Here,  however,  the  result  was  less  doubtful  than 
at  Cold  Harbor,  tor  here  it  was  that  General  Ambrose  P.  Hill, 
commandintij  his  own  division  and  that  of  Lon<i;strect,  achieved 
the  most  remarkable  victory  over  the  enemy  tliat  had  yet  been 
won  —  capturiiit;-  all  the  artillerj'-  that  he  had  engaged,  and 
breaking  the  last  hope  of  a  change  of  fortune  which  had 
attended  him  on  his  retreat.  In  the  tight  at  Frazier's  farm  we 
detect  the  same  error  that  seems  to  liave  imi)ei'illed  our  for- 
tunes in  every  stage  of  the  contest,  and  to  have  detracted  from 
all  the  results  gained  b}'  us,  to  wit:  the  plan  of  attacking  the 
enemy  in  imperfect  force,  and  putting  him  otf  by  difeating  him 
with  one  or  two  divisions,  when  he  might  have  been  crushed 
by  a  fearless  and  decisive  concentration  of  many  divisions.  At 
Frazier's  farm  two  divisions  were  thrown  against  the  whole 
Yankee  army;  and,  indeed,  the  error  might  have  been  fatal 
had  the  commander  on  the  spot  been  less  energetic,  the  troops 
in  his  small  command  less  devoted,  or  had  the  darkness  of 
night  not  obscured  their  numbers. 

From  the  time  of  the  two  principal  battles  —  that  at  Cold 
Harbor  and  that  at  Frazier's  farm — all  pretensions  of  the 
enemy's  resort  to  strategy  must  cease..  His  retreat  was  now 
unmistakeable;  it  was  no  longer  a  falling  baek  to  concentrate 
troops  for  action;  it  is,  in  fact,  impossible  to  disguise  that  it 
was  the  retreat  of  an  enemy  who  was  discomfited  and  whipjied, 
although  not  routed.  He  had  abandoned  the  railroads ;  he  had 
given  uj)  the  strongholds  which  Ite  had  provided  to  secure  him 
in  case  of  a  check;  he  had  destroyed  from  eight  to  ten  million 
dollars  worth  of  stores  ;  he  had  deserted  his- hospitals,  his  sick 
and  wounded,  and  he  had  left  in  our  hands  thousands  of  pris- 
oners and  innumerable  stragglers. 

Regarding  all  that  had  been  accomplished  in  these  battles; 
the  displays  of  the  valor  and  devotion  of  our  troops;  the  ex- 
penditure of  blood,  and  the  helpless  and  fugitive  condition  to 
which  the  enemy  had  at  last  been  reduced,  history  will  record 
it  as  a  burning  shame  that  an  eneni}'^  in  this  condition  was  per- 
mitted to  secure  his  retreat.  The  result  of  the  fight  at  3Ial- 
vern  hill  was  to  secure  to  the  enemj^  full  protection  for  a  re- 
treat, which  should  have  been  made  a  rout  long,  before  he  ever 


29 

reached  there.  The  enemy  had  made  no  effort  for  *,  victory 
there;  it  was  a  stand,  not  a  battle;  if  he  had  been  k-t  alone,  he 
would  have  gone  away  the  next  day  of  his  own  accord;  the 
two  wings  of  our  army  were  in  a  position  to  cut  off  his  retreat 
to  the  river;  and  yet  notlnng  was  done  but  to  make  an  attack, 
in  which  we  sustained  a  great  loss,  in  which  the  enemy  was 
not  driven,  and  by  which,  in  fact,  he  effected  exactly  what  he 
desired — a  cover  for  his  retreat. 

All  that  has  been  said  of  the  "masterly  retreat"  of  McClel- 
lan,  and  his  displays  of  generalship,  sound  very  well;  but  the 
compliments.  Avc  believe,  are  but  little  deserved  and  can  scarce- 
ly serve  as  excuses  to  be  made  to  public  disappointment  over 
the  result  of  the  battle  of  Eichmond,  when  we  come  to  ex- 
amine the  circumstances  in  which  they  have  been  displayed. 
His  "  masterl}-  retreat"  consists  in  our  own  blunders.  He  wive 
permitted  to  get  through  our  tingers  when  everybody  thought 
we  had  only  to  close  the  hand  to  crush  him.  He  has  secured  a 
strong  ]iosition  on  James  river,  where  he  hopes  to  establish 
a  new  base  of  (perations.  But  the  position  he  now  holds  was 
notorious  in  the  militar}'  history  of  the  country;  it  was  twice 
occupied  b}'  the  British  when  they  invaded  Virginia,  and  was 
pointed  out  as  a  commanding  ])Osition  for  a  power  tliat  was 
strong  on  the  water,  long  anterior  to  the  date  of  McClellan's 
generalship 

We  repeat,  that  we  are  not  inclined  to  diminish  the  actual 
results  because  the}'  have  fallen  below  expectation ;  and  it  has 
been  unwillingly  that  we  have  referred  to  that  part  of  the 
history  of  the  battle  of  Eichmond  which  casts  a  dark  shadow 
over  the  track  of  our  victories.  The  result  of  the  conflict  is 
sufficiently  fortunate  to  excite  joy,  and  grave  enough  to  engage 
the  most  serious  speculations  as  to  the  future.  In  the  iS^orth, 
and  in  Europe,  its  moral  effects  must  be  immense.  It  is  abso- 
lutely certain  that  Eichmond  cannot  be  taken  this  year,  or  In' 
this  army  of  McClellan.  The  mouth  of  the  Yankee  govern- 
ment is  shut  fi'om  any  more  promises  of  a  speedy  termination 
of  the  war;  the  powers  of  Europe  see  that  the  Southern  Con- 
federacy is  not  yet  crushed,  or  likeh'  to  be  crushed  by  its 
insolent  foe ;  and  we  have  again  challenged  the  confidence  of 
the  world  in  the  elasticity  of  our  foi'tunes,  and  the  invincible 
destinj'  of  our  independence.  The  results  of  the  battle  of 
Eichmond  are  worthy  of  congi*atulation,  although  attended 
with  unavailing  regrets  that  the  valor  of  our  troops  and  the 
talents  of  some  of  our  generals  in  the  field  were  not  rewarded 
with  greater  prizes.  Although  the  painful  fact  exists  that 
McClellan  has  secured  a  position  where  he  can  receive  rein- 
forcements, and  where  he  cannot  be  well  attacked,  there  are 
yet  abundant  reasons  for  congratulating  the  country  and  the 
army  on  the  events  which  haA'e  gone  so  far  to  secure  the  safety 
of  our  capital  and  to  illuminate  the  fortunes  of  the  Confed- 
eracy. 


30 


INCIDENTS. 

The  farmers  residing  in  the  neighborliood  of  the  battle- 
fields, with  great  unanijiiity  and  patriotic  devotion,  responded 
to  the  demand  for  hospital  accommodations,  and  openeti  their 
dwellings  and  outhouses  lor  the  use  and  occupation  of  the 
bounded. 

Throughout  the  whole  country  the  houses  are  shattered,  and 
nearly  shot  into  pieces  by  the  cannon  balls  of  the  opposing 
ai'mies.  At  Mechanicsville,  the  exjtlosion  of  a  shell  knocked  a 
large  house  into  fragments,  and  killed  six  men  who  were  rest- 
ing there. 

Three  Texaiis  came  upon  a  bod}'  of  two  hundred  Yankee 
stragglers,  and  took  them  all  prisoners  by  frightening  thorn 
with  the  story  that  Jackson,  with  a  "black  flag,"  had  cut  oti" 
their  retreat,  and  that  if  they  would  submit  their  captors  would 
take  them  into  liichmond  without  the  risk  of  losing  their  heads. 

The  Pennsylvania  Eleventh  (Reserves)  and  the  Fourth  New 
Jersey  were  taken  entire,  every  commissioned  otficei* — colonels, 
majors,  captains,  lieutenants,  surgeons  and  assistant  surgeons — 
falling  into  our  hands.  Beyond  these  two  regiments,  the  pris- 
oners were  mostly  United  States  regulars,  with  a  slight  sprink- 
ling of  Connecticut  Yankees. 

Majoi'-Gcneral  McCall,  of  Pennsylvania,  was  captured  in 
Friday's  tight,  by  a  private  in  General  Hill's  division,  of  the 
name  uf  Kawlings.  The  general  insisted  ii])on  receiving  the 
prisoner  from  the  hands"  of  his  captor,  who  had  modestly  re- 
tired and  was  doing  his  duty  Jn  the  i-anks  when  the  distin- 
guished prisoner  was  escorted  to  the  presence  of  General  Hill 
by  an  otticer. 

In  the  possession  of  a  great  many  of  the  prisoners  brought  to 
Eichmond  were  Ibuiid  bogus  Confederate  bills  of  small  denomi- 
naiion,  which  they  attempted  to  palm  upon  boys  on  the  streets 
for  bread,  confectionary,  etc.  The  notes  Avere  evidently  pre- 
pared in  the  North  and  circulated  in  McClcUan's  arm}',  with  a 
view  to  putting  them  in  circulation  when  the  Yankees  got  into 
the  City  of  liiclunond,  and  thus  injure  the  Confederate  currency. 

The  Federal  flag  made  by  the  Yankees  to  float  over  our 
capitol  was  captured  in  the  Federal  camps,  and  was  exhibited, 
with  great  applause,  to  our  troo})s.  It  is  an  immense  piece  of 
work,  fully  twenty  feet  long,  having  thirteen  stripes  and  thirty- 


81 

two  stars  thereon.  We  undorstand  McClellan  received  it  as  a 
present  from  the  ladies  of  the  City  of  Boston,  and  promised  to 
plant  it  on  the  veritable  "last  ditch"  to  which  the  rebels  should 
be  run,  and  aiterward  would  elevate  it,  with  all  military 
honors,  on  our  capitol  at  Eichmond. 

An  interestino;  incident  occurred  in  the  Pamunkoy  on  Thurs- 
day. A  rati  battery,  protected  with  iron  sides,  was  annoying 
our  troops  in  that  direction,  when  a  regiment  of  sharpshooters 
was  detailed  to  capture  it.  They  proceeded  to  the  brow  of  a 
hill  immediately  commanding  tlic  battery,  and  opened  fire 
down  into  it.  About  a  dozen  Yankees  wore  killed  and  wounded 
by  the  volley— a  shock  which  took  them  so  much  by  surprise 
that  they  concluded  to  give  up;  so,  hoisting  a  shirt  out  U])on  a 
pole,  the  survivors  sung  out,  "We  surrender!"  Our  sharp- 
ehooter.s  immediately  went  down,  took  possession,  and  sent  the 
craft  to  the  bottom  of  the  river. 


82 


THE  ^^'ORTIIERN  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  SEVEN  DAYS- 
BATTLES. 

[Perhaps  the  most  complete  and  connected  of  the  many  accounts  of  the 
seren  days'  battles,  whioh  have  appeared  in  the  Northern  prints,  is  that 
given  by  the  correspondent  of  tlie  Cincinnati  Commercial.  The  following 
extracts  will  be  found  interesting,  and  will  furnish  a  brief  and  comprehen- 
sive review  of  the  whole  terrible  conflict.  The  narrative,  which,  like  all 
other  accounts  published  by  the  public  journals  of  tlie  enemy,  is  tinged 
throughout  with  misrepresentation,  embraces  the  battle  of  IMechanicsville, 
the  battle  of  Gaines'  mills,  the  battle  of  Savage  Station,  and  the  battle 
of  White  Oak  s^amp.] 

• 
THE    SITUATION    OF    M'oLELLAN'S   ARMY. 

You  will  remember  th;it  the  army  was  pressiii<;  hard  ii]ion 
Eichmond.  The  right  wing,  consisting  of  McCall's,  Morell's 
and  Sykes'  divisions,  loss  than  twenty-five  thousand  strong, 
was  well  posted  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Chiekahominy,  from 
Beaver  Dam  creek  to  a  point  below  New  bridge.  Several 
military  bridges  formed  the  avenues  of  communication  between 
the  two  portions  of  the  array  separated  by  tlie  river.  The 
centre,  consisting  of  Smith's,  Sedgewick's  and  Eichardson's 
divisions,  stretched  in  line  of  battle  from  (folding's,  on  the 
banks  of  the  river,  to  a  point  soirth  of  the  Yorktown  railroad. 
The  Ictl  wing,  consisting  of  Hooker's,  Ivearney's  and  Gouch's 
divisions,  stretched  from  Jiichardson's  left  to  a  point  con- 
siderably south  of  the  Williamsburg  stage  road,  on  the  borders 
of  Wiiite  Oak  swamp.  The  whole  Tine  was  protected  by  strong 
breastworks  aiid  redoubts.  Casey's  (now  Peck's)  sadly  reduced 
divisioii  guarded  Jiottom  bridge,  the  railway  bridge,  and  were 
assigned  to  other  similar  duty."  Our  line  of  battle  (jn  the  right 
bank  of  the  Chiekahominy,  as  I  have  informed  you,  pressed  so 
close  to  the  rebel  lines  that  neither  could  advance  a  regiment 
outside  of  their  respective  breastwoi'ks  without  provoking 
battle. 

On  Wednesday-,  June  25,  General  McClellan  made  the  first 
distinctly  ottensive  movement,  by  directing  General  Hooker  to 
take  up  an  advanced  position  on  Fair  Oaks  farm,  near  the 
Williamsburg  road.  Jt  provoked  a  sharp  resistance,  which  we 
overcame,  and  accom2)lished  our  object.  It  was  pronounced  an 
important  achievement  by  General  JMcClellan  himself,  because 


33 

it  gave  him  advantages  over  the  rebel  position  which  he  had 
not  enjoyed  before.  Some  time  during  the  nigiit.  however, 
tidings  Avere  received  of  u  movement  of  Stonewall  .lacivison  on 
our  right  wing.  Jt  was  deemed  hazardous  to  maintain  the 
advantage  of  the  previous  day,  and  the  line  was  ortiered  to 
resume  its  old  position.  Thursday  afternoon  the  anticipated 
attack  upon  our  right  Aving  was  made,  and  handscnncly  re- 
pulsed; but  it  was  discovered  that  it  had  not  been  made  by 
Jackson's  command.  Information  was  received  that  Jackson 
Avas  sweeping  down  the  Pamunkey,  probably  to  captui-e  mili- 
tary stores  at  the  White  House,  to  cut  off  our  communication 
Avith  our  water  base,  and  menace  our  rear.  Orders  Avere  given 
at  once  to  destroy  all  jiublic  property  at  the  White  House,  and 
evacuate  that  point.  Matters  began  to  assume  a  critical  ap- 
pearance, and  danger  culminated  in  the  disaster  of  Friday.  It 
Avas  then  fully  determined  to  "change  the  base  of  operations  to 
James  river."  The  great  retrograde  movement  Avas  really 
begun  Friday  CA^ening,  by  the  transfer  of  head-quarters  from 
Trent's  bluff  to  Savage  Station,  but  the  grand  exodus  did  not 
commence  until  Saturday,  and  did  not  swell  into  full  propor- 
tions till  nightfall  of  that  day.  In  order  to  preserve  the  morale 
of  the  army  as  far  as  possible,  and  obtain  supplies  of  ammu- 
nition and  subsistence,  it  Avas  determined  to  carry  through  all 
the  Avagoiis  loaded,  and  the  ambulance  train — making  a  mighty 
caravan — vastly  increased  b}*  artillery  trains.  There  Avas  but 
one  narrow  I'oad  to  pursue.  It  struck  almost  due  south  from 
the  Williamsburg  road,  through  White  Oak  swamp,  to  the 
Charles  City  road,  into  Avhich  it  debouched  about  eight  miles 
from  Turkey  bend,  on  James  river.  The  course  then  lay  up 
the  latter  road  toward  liichmond,  Avhere  it  struck  a  little  south- 
west by  the  Quaker  road,  Avhich  terminated  in  New  Market 
road,  leading  from  Richmond.  The  river  Avas  but  a  short 
distance  south,  and  Malvern  hill — a  beautiful,  lol\y  bluff",  over- 
looking the  riA^er  and  commanding  the  surrounding  country, 
being  our  goal.  Although  there  Avas  but  a  single  road — Avith 
slight  exception  —  it  had  the  advantage  of  coursing  through 
White  Oak  sAvamp,  upon  Avhich  we  miglit  rely,  in  some  degree, 
for  the  protection  of  our  flanks.  There  Avas  great  danger  that 
the  enemy  might  cut  us  off"  by  moving  columns  down  the 
Charles  City,  Central  or  Ncav  Market  roads,  or  all  three,  but 
these  chances  Avere  necessarily^  accepted.  Ceneral  McClellan 
acted  upon  the  supposition  that  the  enemy  Avould  not  guess  his 
determination  until  he  was  able  to  defeat  their  moA'cments.  At 
all  CA-ents,  it  Avas  the  only  hojteful  course,  because  the  enemy 
Avas  Avatching  for  him  on  the  leit  bank  of  the  Chickahominy. 
The  events  Avill  now  be  recorded  in  their  order.  The  affair  at 
Fair  Oaks  farm  was  the  real  beginning  of  the  dreary  drama. 
The  Mechauicsville  battle  was  the  second  act,  which  you  will 
noAv  read. 
3 


u 


BATTLE    OF    MECHANICSVILLE. 


On  the  26th  a  fierce  battle  was  ni^inn;  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
Chiclc;iliominy,on  the  east  side  of  Ik'uvor  Dam  crock.  Our  ex- 
treme right  wing,  consisting  of  McCaH's  I'ennsylvania  reserves, 
eight  thousand  five  hundred  strong,  with  five  batteries,  were 
strongly  entrenched  there  in  admirable  position  for  defence. 
Information,  leading  General  McClellan  to  expect  an  attempt 
upon  his  right,,  had  been  received  Wednesday  night,  and  wo 
were  well  prepared  for  resistance.  General  Fitz  John  Porter's 
corps,  consisting  of  Moroil's  division  of  volunteers,  and  Sykea' 
regulars,  some  5,000  strong,  increased  by  Duryea's  Zouaves,  was 
posted  near  New  bridge,  within  supporting  distance.  Cieneral 
Stoneman  had  also  been  sent  to  Old  Churcli  with  a  regiment  of 
cavalry  and  two  of  infantry,  as  a  corps  of  observation,  and  to 
check  flanking  movements;  or,  if  possible,  to  decoy  the  enemy 
down  the  Paniunkey.  At  about  noon,  a  powerful  corps  of  the 
enemy,  consisting  of  General  A.  P.  Hill's,  1).  H.  Hill's,  Long- 
street's  and  Anderson's  divii^ions — then  supposed  to  be  Jackson's 
force — under  command  of  General  llobcrt  E.  Lee,  crossed  the 
river  at  Mcchanicsville  bridge,  Meadow  bridge,  and  at  Atlee's, 
and,  between  one  and  two  o'clock,  attacked  our  flank.  Two 
regiments  of  Meade's  brigade  (McCall's  division)  were  in  re- 
serve, and  one  on  picket  duty.  They  did  not,  at  any  time,  fully 
engage  the  enemy.  General  Reynolds'  brigade  held  the  right 
and  Seymour's  the  left.  The  fight  was  ojicnod  with  artillery, 
at  long  range,  but  the  enemy,  finally  discovering  our  superi- 
ority in  this  arm,  foreshortened  the  range  and  came  into  close 
conflict.  He  was  evidently  provoked  at  his  own  inefliciency, 
since  his  shell  were  not  destructive  in  our  entrenchments,  while 
our  gunners  played  upon  his  exposed  ranks  with  fearful  efl^'ect. 
The  fight  seemed  to  increase  in  fury  as  it  progressed,  and  it 
finally  became  the  most  terrific  artillery  combat  of  the  war. 
I  had  been  accustomed  for  months  to  the  incessant  roar  of 
lieavy  guns,  but  until  that  period  I  had  failed  to  comprehend 
the  terrible  sublimity  of  a  great  battle  with  field  pieces.  The 
uproar  was  incessant  and  deafening  for  hours.  At  times  it 
seemed  as  if  fift}^  guns  exploded  simultaneously,  and  then  ran 
off  at  intervals  into  splendid  file  firing  —  if  1  may  apply  in- 
fantry descriptive  terms  to  cannonading.  But  no  language  can 
describe  its  awful  grandeur.  The  enemy  at  last  essa3-ed  a 
combined  movement.  Meantime  our  force  had  been  strength- 
ened by  Griffith's  brigade,  which  increased  the  volume  of 
infantry  fire,  and  Martindale's  brigade  came  up  to  be  ready 
for  emergencies.  Their  infantry  fire  had' entirely  subsided,  and 
it  was  obvious  that  they  were  withdrawing  under  cover  of 
their  ailillery.  Our  own  batteries,  which  had  opened  in  full 
cry  at  the  start,  had  jiot  slackened  an  instant.  Comprehending 
the  situation  fully  now,  the  cannoneers  plied  themselves  with 


85  • 

tremendous  energy  to  punish  the  retreating  foe.  We  hiive  no 
sure  means  to  determine  how  many  were  shiughtered.  Our 
loss  was  eigiity  killed,  and  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
wounded.  General  McClollan  was  not  in  the  battle,  hut  was  at 
General  Porter's  head-quarters  until  it  terminated. 

It  Avas  now  ascertained  from  prisoners  that  Stonewall  Jack- 
son had  not  joined  Lee.  Hence  it  was  inferred  that  lie  was 
sweeping  down  the  banks  of  the  Pamunkey,  to  seize  the  public 
property  and  to  cut  oflf  our  retreat  in  that  direction.  General 
Stoneman's  command  was  moved  swiftly  down  to  watch  opera- 
tions there,  and  orders  were  issued  for  the  removal  or  destruc- 
tion of  all  public  stores  at  the  White  House.  The  situation, 
apparently  placid  on  the  surface,  developed  a  troubled  under- 
current. General  McClellan  directed  General  McCall  to  fall 
back  and  take  up  a  new  position  in  front  of  our  military 
bridges,  to  resist  an  attack  which  was  anticipated  next  day 
(Frida}').  It  was  thought  if  the  enemy  was  not  successfully 
repulsed,  he  could  be  drawn  acro.ss  our  bridges  upon  our  own 
terms,  where  he  could  be  roughly  handled.  The  command  was 
given  to  General  Fitz  John  Porter,  who  controlled  the  troops 
already  mentioned,  suppoi'tcd  by  a  powerful  train  of  artiller}- — 
regular  and  volunteer.  Meantime  all  the  trains  and  equipage 
of  the  right  wing  were  withdrawn  to  Trent's  bluff,  on  the 
right  bank  of  the  river,  during  the  night'  and  our  wounded 
were  conveyed  to  the  hospital  at  Savage  Station  —  to  be  de- 
serted, alas  !  to  the  eneni}'.  All  these  facts  indicated  danger. 
But  other  evidences  of  it  were  not  wanting. 

B3'  dajdight  Friday  morning  General  McCall  had  fallen  back 
to  the  rear  of  Gaines'  mill,  and  in  front  of  Woodbury's  bridge, 
where  he  was  posted — his  left  joining  the  right  of  Butterfield's 
brigade,  resting  in  the  woods  and  near  the  swamps  of  Chicka- 
homin3^  Morell  was  on  his  right,  in  the  centre,  and  General 
S^'kes,  commanding  five  thousand  regulars,  and  Duryea's  Zou- 
aves, held  the  extreme  right — the  line  occupying  crests  of  hills 
near  the  ^ew  Kent  road,  some  distance  east  by  south  of 
Gaines'  mill.  A  portion  of  the  position  was  good,  but  judici- 
ous generalship  might  have  found  a  better,  and  especially  it 
might  have  been  amended  b}'  posting  the  left  flank  upon  a 
swamp,  Avhich  was  impassable  beyond  peradventure.  Besides, 
the  line  was  ho  disposed  that  it  was  next  to  impossible  to  use 
our  artiller}'.  Nothing  definite  had  yet  been  heard  of  the 
enemj^,  but  it  was  as.sumed  that  he  would  appear  stronger  than 
yesterday.  Accordingly,  General  Slocum's  division,  about  eight 
thousand  strong,  was  moved  across  the  river  to  support  Porter, 
although  it  was  deemed  hazardous  in  consequence  of  a  pending 
attack  along  our  whole  front.  But  there  was  no  alternative  ; 
General  McClellan  had  only  so  much  material,  and  it  was 
imperative  that  he  should  use  it  according  to  unavoidable 
necessity. 


86 

BATTLK    or   OAlNKs'    1\1IM.,    FIliDAY,    .ILNE    TWKN'TV-SKVENTH. 

The  battle  opened  about  one  o'clock  by  skirmisliinjjj,  particu- 
larly in  front  of  Griffith's  briga<ie,  near  the  mill,  and  by  an 
artillery  attack  from  the  battery  jilanted  in  the  orchard  near 
the  Gaines'  house.  The  enemy  felt  our  positioji  rajndly,  and 
along  the  whole  line  at  the  same  time,  showing  that  he  was  in 
full  force.  By  two  o'clock  there  had  been  several  conflicts 
between  opposing  regiments,  without  any  particular  result, 
save  that  our  men  steadily  maintained  their  line.  About  this 
time  General  (Jriflith's  hi-igade,  whose  front  was  covered  by 
Berdcn's  shai'pshooters,  advanced  through  to  the  edge  of  the 
woods  toward  Gaines'  mill,  and  made  the  first  important  open- 
ing of  the  battle.  The  enemy  at  once  replied.  The  Ninth 
Massachusetts,  Golonel  Cass,  a  strong  and  brave  regiment,  with 
the  Fourth  Michigan  and  Fourteenth  New  York,  had  the  jirin- 
cipal  position.  'JM)C  Sixty-second  I'ennsylvania  took  position 
on  the  exti'eme  right,  where  the  enemy  ap])eared  very  strong. 
Weeden's  lihode  Island  battery,  from  position  in  rear  of  the 
woods,  plied  sheU  and  solid  shot  with  accuracy  and  effect.  This 
was  the  earliest  collision  between  our  forces  and  the  enemy. 

The  action  immediately  began  with  vigor  on  the  extreme 
right,  held  by  General  Sykes'  division,  composed  of  General 
Warner's,  Colonel  Buchanan's  and  Colonel  Clia])nian's  brigades. 
These  brigades  supported  Weed's,  Edwards'  and  Tidball's  bat- 
teries— all  regulars.  The  enemy  attacked  very  fiercely,  charging 
repeatedly,  but  were  as  often  re]>ulsed.  The  enemy  delayed 
their  assault  upon  our  left  for  some  time.  A  brilliant  episode 
occurred  on  the  left  of  Martindale's  brigade,  where  the  Thir- 
teenth New  York,  and  the  fire  proof  and  scarred  veterans 
of  the  Second  Maine  were  posted.  A  brigade  of  Alabamians 
moved  uj)  over  the  crest  of  a  hill  in  splendid  style;  even,  ready 
and  resolute,  with  arms  at  right  shoulder  shift,  ready  lor  a 
charge.  "  Up  and  at  them,"  was  the  word  along  our  line,  and 
the  two  regiments  Avhich  had  lain  concealed  in  the  low  growth 
of  timber  in  the  valley  spi-ang  to  their  feet,  and  one  piercing, 
terrible  volley  of  death-dealing  Minnies  was  poured  into  the 
ranks  of  the  confident  enem3^  The  hill  was  cleared  as  though 
swept  b}'  a  hurricane.  One  of  the  regiments  left  their  colors 
and  battle  flag  upon  the  field.  The  regimental  color  was  so- 
cured  by  ('olonel  lloberts,  of  the  Second  Maine,  and  the  battle 
flag  by  Captain  Sullivan,  of  the  Thirteenth  New  Yoi-k,  who 
followed  the  I'eti'cating  enemy  and  secured  it.  Captain  Sulli- 
van found  the  field  literally  covered  with  the  rebel  dead;  there 
being  over  eight}'  near  the  spot  where  the  colors  fell.  At  three 
o  clock  the  action  had  become  general  along  the  whole  line. 
Stonewall  Jackson's  column  had  formed  a  junction  Mith  Leo, 
and  soon  attacked  our  i-ight  with  great  vigoi-  and  ])ertinacity, 
but  he  met  a  galling  fire  from  Edwards',  Martin's  and  Weeden's 


37 

batteries,  Avhicli  sent  him  rcclini;  back  in  disorder.  Again  he 
gathered  his  oohimns,  supported  thcin  by  fresh  troops,  again 
advanced,  extending  his  lines  as  if  to  flank  our  right,  and  re- 
newed the  attack  witli  greater  ferocity  than  ever,  to  he  again 
re})ulsed  witii  terrible  slangliter.  S3-kes'  regulars  and  AVarren's 
brigade,  in  which  are  the  Duryea  Zouaves  and  Bendix's  Tenth 
New  York  regiment,  plaj^ed  a  brilliant  part  in  this  portion  of 
the  engagement — the  Zouaves  esjiocially  fighting  with  a  desper- 
ation and  tenacity  only  to  l)c  expected  i'rom  such  superior  men. 
They  suffered  largely,  their  ])eculiar  uniform  being  the  especial 
mark  of  ten  thousand  rebel  soldiers. 

The  tactics  of  the  enemy  were  soon  made  apparent.  It  was 
in  massing  troops  and  making  sudden  onslaughts  on  this  and 
then  on  that  portion  of  our  columns,  by  which  he  expected 
to  break  them  somewhere,  and  defeat  if  not  rout  us.  His 
next  movement  was  against  our  centre.  Part  of  Jackson's 
column,  reinforced  by  a  large  body  from  Hill's  division,  now 
made  a  desperate  onset  against  the  centre.  Here  the  conflict 
was  long  and  bloody,  and  raged  for  nearly  two  hours  with 
great  violence.  The  columns  surged  backward  and  forward, 
first  one  j'iclding  and  then  the  otlkcr.  An  idea  of  the  great 
magnitude  of  this  portion  of  the  fight  may  be  obtained,  when 
I  say  that  this  part  of  the  line  was  successively  reinforced 
b}'  McCall's  reserves — the  brigades  of  General  Newton,  Colo- 
nel Bartlett  and  Colonel  Taylor,  of  Slocum's  division  —  and 
it  was  not  until  the  last  fi'esh  brigade  was  hurled  against 
them  that  they  w^ere  beaten  back.  In  this  part  of  the  engage- 
ment we  took  about  fifty  prisoners,  who  said  that  in  just  that 
part  of  the  engagement  the  entire  force  of  Lonstreet's  and 
Ilill's  divisions  and  a  part  of  Jackson's  column  participated. 
Probably  the  most  desperate  fighting  of  the  day  took  place 
upon  this  part  of  our  lines  and  at  this  time.  Here  it  was  that 
we  suftcred  our  heaviest  losses,  and  the  field  presented  a  most 
sanguinary  hue.  The  fighting  was  done  principally  by  mu.s- 
ketry  —  a  thick  pine  woods  intervening  between  our  battei-ics 
and  the  enemj*,  preventing  the  former  getting  the  range  of  the 
latter.  Many  of  our  regiments  suftcred  here  to  the  extent  of 
one-thirtl  of  their  men.  The  Sixty-second  Pennsj-lvania,  of 
Griftin's  brigade,  met  an  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy,  who 
took  them  on  the  flank,  and,  after  a  desperate  resistance,  they 
succeeded  in  repulsing  the  regiment,  killing  the  colonel,  Samuel 
W.  Black,  and  wounding  Lieutenant-Colonel  Sweitzer.  The 
reginient  broke  and  retreated,  and  was  the  first  to  come  off  the 
field  in  disorder — the  men  frightened  and  j)anic-stricken  at  the 
death  of  their  beloved  colonel.  The  regiment  was  not  re- 
formed. 

Finding  he  could  not  force  our  centre,  the  enemy  graduallj-- 
threw  his  columns  against  our  left,  ])ressing  Martindalc's  right 
wing  very  hard,  where  he  met  a  gallant  resistance  from  ti\e 


38 

Twenty-second  Massachusetts  and  Second  Maine  regiments — as 
brave  veterans  as  ever  shouldered  a  musket.  Suddenly,  the 
evciiustini:;  roar  of  musketry  increased  in  volume  toward  the 
extreme  left,  and  the  conflict  seemed  to  grow  fiercer  than  at 
any  previous  time.  This  was  about  six  o'clock;  and  as  I 
galloped  over  the  field  I  looked  back  and  around  upon  the  most 
s;iblime  scene  that  the  fierce  grandeur  and  terrible  realit}'  of 
wnr  ever  porti'ayed.  The  thousand  continuous  volleys  of  mus- 
ketry seemed  mingled  in  the  grand  roar  of  a  great  cataract, 
while  the  louder  and  deeper  discharge  of  artillery  bounded 
forth  over  those  hills  and  down  the  valley  Avith  a  volume  that 
seemed  to  shake  the  earth  beneath  us.  The  canop}' of  smoke 
was  so  thick  that  the  sun  was  gloomily  red  in  the  heavens, 
while  the  clouds  of  dust  in  the  rear,  caused  b}'  the  commotion 
of  advancing  and  retreating  squadrons  of  cavalry,  was  stifling 
and  blinding  to  a  distressing  degree.  One  hour  and  a  half  our 
left  line  withstood  this  terrible  shock  of  battle.  Though  deci- 
mated at  every  discharge,  losing  heavily  in  officers,  and  with 
an  overwhelming  force  in  front,  they  still  continued  to  fight. 
Line  officers  were  stricken  down  by  scores  and  men  by  the 
hundred.  They  thus  saw  it  was  in  vain  to  longer  continue. 
The  right  was  giving  away  rapidly,  and  black  crowds  of  retreat- 
ing Tnen  could  be  seen  making  their  Avay  toward  the  river,  they 
having  cut  their  way  through  the  opposing  host  which  assailed 
them  in  front,  in  flank  and  in  rear,  and  fell  bade  ui)on  the  river, 
crossing  upon  the  remains  of  Emerson's  bridge,  which  had  been 
blown  up  by  our  forces  during  the  fight,  and  gathered  together 
their  scattered  columns  in  the  camp  of  Smith's  division.  A 
part  of  the  brigade  bad  been  withdrawn  by  the  right  flank,  and 
with  them  General  Butler,  who,  notwithstanding  the  thousand 
dangers  that  he  risked,  escaped  unharmed — one  bullet  having 
passed  through  the  rim  of  his  hat  and  another  bent  his  sword 
double.  When  the  left  gave  way,  the  centre,  and  final!}'  the 
right,  was  also  pressed  back,  and  the  retreating  columns  soon 
became  mingled  into  one  black  mass  of  troops.  The  inlantry 
supports  having  fallen  back,  Allen's,  Weeden's,  Hart's  and 
Edwards'  batteries  were  left  exposed.  When  the  order  to  fall 
back  reached  the  middle  hos])ital,  one  of  the  (liree  houses,  about 
equi<listant  from  each  other,  on  the  road  to  Woodbury's  bridge, 
quite  a  stampede  took  ])lace  among  the  stragglers  Avho  had 
there  conui-eirated,  most  of  them  being  men  who  had  been 
detailed  to  bring  in  the  wounded  from  their  regiments  and 
who  had  failed  to  return.  They  made  a  rush  for  the  bridge, 
followed  by  some  of  the  troops,  but  before  tliey  reached  the 
last  hospital  near  the  end  of  the  bridge,  they  were  speedily 
and  summarily  checked.  About  seven  o'clock  Meagher's  and 
French's  brigades  crossed  the  bridge  and  advanced  at  double- 
quick  u])  tlie  hill,  forming  in  line  of  battle  beyond  the  hospital, 
and  swooping  up  the  stragglers  "vvilfc  a  rouncl  turn.     In  almost 


39 

less  time  than  it  takes  to  write  it,  a  scene  of  indescribable  ex- 
citement, of  mingled  confusion  and  direful  disorder,  had  been 
obliterated;  3'es,  literally  crushed,  and  comparative  order  re- 
storetl  out  of  almost  chaos  by  the  prompt,  energetic  and  fearless 
action  of  brave  officers.  As  the  rushini;  and  retreatini^  tide 
began  to  pour  precipitately  towaixl  the  bridge,  a  dozen  officers 
in  my  own  sight  drew  their  sabres  and  pistols,  placed  them- 
selves in  front  of  the  straggling  crowd,  and  ever}'  device  that 
physical  and  mental  nature  could  invent,  rallied  and  formed 
column  after  column  of  men  from  the  broken  mass  that  swept 
over  the  plain.  Probal)ly  the  greatest  carnage  of  this  blood;)' 
day  was  jiroduced  by  the  incessant  discharges  of  double-shotted 
canister  from  the  bronze  Napoleons  of  Martin's  battery.  He 
had  taken  up  a  position  in  the  hollow  between  two  small  hills. 
The  cnem^'  advanced  from  the  opposite  side  in  solid  column, 
on  double-quick,  with  arms  at  right  slioulder  shift,  not  being 
able  to  see  the  battery  until  they  reached  the  crest  of  the 
hill,  witliin  one  hundred  yards  of  it,  when  Martin  opened  a 
bitter  surprise  upon  them,  sweeping  them  from  the  field  like 
chalf  before  a  storm.  Twice  again  they  formed  and  advanced, 
their  officers  behaving  splendidly,  but  it  wasnseless;  Martin's 
fierce  leaden  rain  being  too  terrible  to  withstand.  The  advance 
of  the  fresh  troops  having  checked  the  enemy,  and  niglit  com- 
ing on,  the  conflict  ceased,  and  both  parties  quietly  la}*  on  their 
arms. 

Calamity  brooded  over  all.  Few  had  opportunit}"  to  rest,  not 
many  could  find  wherewith  to  appease  hunger,  and  mind  as 
well  as  bodj'  was  afflicted.  Both  wei'e  jaded  and  reduced. 
Losses  we  were  obliged  to  estimate.  Official  reports,  there 
were  none.  Of  material,  Fitz  John  Porter's  command  lost 
twenty  pieces  of  artillery,  and  the  arms,  with  accoutrements, 
which  belonged  to  men  who  were  lost.  Of  dead,  wounded  and 
missing  there  were  seven  thousand  or  upward. 

It  is  claimed  that  the  battle  was  badl}'  managed.  This  is  no 
time  for  criticism;  besides,  the  data  is  not  absolutel}'  reliable. 
It  is  certain  that  we  were  beaten  in  strategy  and  grand  tactics. 
We  were  beaten.  It  Avas  a  melanchol}'  satisfaction  to  know 
that  we  occupied  the  field  of  battle  after  the  conflict  was  ended. 
We  had  about  thirty  thousand  men  engaged — perhaps  thirty- 
five  thousand.  The  eneni}'  had  four  divisions  emploj'cd,  besides 
Jackson's  admirable  army  of  forty  thousand  or  thirty-five 
thousand  disciplined  troops. 

THE  RETREAT  TO  THE  RIVER. 

There  was  but  one  extremely  perilous  alternative.  The 
arm}'  must  fall  back  on  James  river.  A  hope  was  entertained 
that  the  enemy  would  be  deceived  into  the  belief  that  we  de- 
signed to  fall  back  to  the  White  House.      Preparations  were 


40 

accordini;Iy  b^un.  Porter's  command  crosse<l  the  river  with- 
out opposition. 

Diirinij  the  niglit  our  hridi^os  were  blown  up,  and  the  eross- 
in^H  wore  harricnded  and  defended.  Keyes'  line,  wliich  was  on 
the  extreme  left,  i-csting  upon  \Vhite  Oak  swamp,  was  ])ro- 
loniced.  and  our  artillery  and  transportation  trains  were  ordered 
to  prepare  to  move  ibrward.  That  ni<;ht  (Jeneral  Casey  was 
also  directed  to  destroy  all  i)ublic  pi-opcrty  at  the  White  House 
that  could'  not  be  removed,  and  to  traMSj)ort  the  siek  and 
wounded  to  a  place  of  safety;  to  retire  himself,  and  rejoin 
the  army  on  .lames  river.  Friday  nii<;ht  was  thus  actively  and 
mournfully  jtassed,  but  it  was  telicity  itself  compared  with 
those  of  Saturday,  Sunday,  Monday  and  Tuesday. 

Saturday  morninij;;  loomed  upon  us  hotly  and  cheerlessly. 
Until  nine  o'clock  not  the  sound  of  a  hostile  gun  disturbed  the 
dread  silence.  About  nine  o'clock  this  anxiety  was  relieved  by 
an  awful  cannonade  opened  upon  Smith's  ])osition  from  two 
forts  in  Ciarnett's  field,  a  battery  at  Fitz  John  Porter's  old 
position,  and  another  below  it  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Chick- 
ahominy,  rakini;  his  entrenchments  and  eom]K'lling  him  to 
abandon  the  strongest  natural  position  on  our  wliole  line.  The 
fire  was  terrible.  I  can  describe  its  lines' fairly  by  comparing 
it  with  the  right  lines  and  angles  of  a  che.ss  board.  Smith  fell 
back  to  the  woods,  a  few  hundred  yards,  and  threw  up  breast- 
works out  of  range.  The  enemy,  content  with  his  success, 
ceased  firing,  and  (piiet  was  not  disturbed  again  that  day.  The 
silence  of  the  enemy  was  explained  to  me  that  night;  a  dis- 
patch had  been  sent  by  Jackson  to  Magruder,  who  remained  in 
command  in  front  of  Richmond,  expressed  thus:  "Be  quiet. 
Eveiy thing  is  working  as  well  as  wo  could  desire!"  Ominous 
words  I 

I  now  proceed  to  Savage  Station.  I  shall  not  attempt  to 
describe  the  sombre  picture  of  gloom,  confusion  and  distress 
which  op|)ressed  me  there.  I  found  officers  endeavoring  to 
fight  oft*  the  true  meaning.  Anxiety  at  head-quarters  was  too 
apparent  to  one  who  had  studied  thai  branch  of  the  army  too 
sharplj^  to  be  deluded  by  thin  masks.  The  wretclicd  s]u^ctacle 
of  mangled  men  from  yesterday's  battle,  the  wearied,  haggard 
and  SMioke-begrimed  faces  of  men  who  had  fought  yesterday, 
were  concomitants  of  every  field,  yet  they  formed  the  sombre 
coloring  of  the  ominous  ])icture  before  me.  Then  there  were 
hundreds  who  had  straggled  from  the  field,  sprawled  upon 
every  space,  where  there  was  a  shadow  of  a  leaf  to  protect 
them  from  a  broiling  sun;  a  hurry  and  tumult  of  wagons  and 
artillery  trains,  endless  almost,  rusliing  down  the  roads  towart^ 
the  new  base,  moving  with  a  sort  of  orderly  confusion  almost 
as  distressing  as  panic  itself  But  I  venture  that  few  of  all 
that  hastening  throng,  excepting  old  officers,  understood  the 
misfortune.      Ii^ndless  streams  of  artillery  trains,  wagons  and 


41 

funeral  ambulances  poured  down  the  roads  from  all  the  camps, 
and  pluiii^cd  into  tlio  narrow  funnel  which  was  our  only  hope 
(*f  est!i]ie.  And  now  the  exquisite  truth  flashed  u]i()n  me.  It 
was  alisolutely  necessary  for  the  salvation  of  the  army  and  the 
cause  that  our  wounded  and  mangled  braves,  who  lay  nioaniiii; 
ill  ])hysical  agony  in  our  hospitals,  should  be  deserted  and  left 
in  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

At  daylight  General  McClellan  was  on  the  road.  Thousands 
of  cattle,  of  wagons,  and  our  immense  train  of  artillery,  inter- 
mingled with  infantry,  and  great  troops  of  cavalry,  choked  uj) 
the  narrow  road  already.  Genei'al  Sumner's,  HiMntzelinan's 
and  Franklin's  corps,  under  Sumner's  command,  had  been  left 
to  guard  the  rear,  with  orders  to  fall  back  at  dayliglit  and  hold 
the  enemy  in  check  till  night.  A  noble  army  for  sacririce,  and 
.some,  oh,  how  many,  must  fall  to  save  the  rest.  The  very 
slightest  movement  from  the  front  was  critical.  At  no  point 
along  the  line  were  we  more  than  three-fourths  of  a  mile  from 
the  enemy,  and  in  front  of  Sedgewick's  line  they  were  not  over 
six  hundred  yards  distant.  The  slightest  vibration  at  any 
point  was  apt  to  thrill  the  rebel  lines  from  centre  to  wings; 
but,  fortunately,  by  skilful  secrecj",  column  after  column  was 
marched  to  the  rear.  Toward  noon  the  line  had  i-etired  several 
miles,  and  rested  behind  Savage  Station,  to  destroy  the  public 
property  which  had  accumulated  there.  A  locomotive  on  the 
railway  was  started  swiftly  down  the  road,  with  it  train  of  cars, 
and  soon  plunged  madl}'  into  the  Chickahominy,  a  mangled 
wreck.  The  match  was  applied  to  stores  of  every  description, 
and  ammunition  was  ex])loded,  until  nothing  was  left  to  ap- 
pease the  rebel  appetite  for  prej".  Destruction  was  com])lete. 
and  the  ruins  were  more  touchingly  desolate  amid  the  mangled 
victims  of  war's  ruthlessness,  who  laid  on  the  hillside  mourning 
the  departure  of  friends  with  whom  they  had  bravely  fought. 

The  advance  column  and  all  the  mighty  train  had  now  been 
swallowed  in  the  maw  of  the  dreary  forest.  It  swept  onward, 
onward,  fast  and  furious,  like  an  avalanche.  Every  hour  of 
silence  behind  was  ominous,  but  hours  were  precious  to  us. 
Pioneer  bands  were  rushing  along  in  front,  clearing  and  repair- 
ing our  single  road;  reconnoissance  officers  were  seeking  new 
routes  for  a  haven  of  rest  and  safety.  The  enemy  was  in  the 
rear,  pressing  on  with  fearful  power.  Ho  could  jiress  down, 
flankward,  to  our  front,  cutting  off  our  retreat.  "Would  suoh  be 
our  fate?  The  vanguard  had  passed  White  Oak  bridge,  and 
had  risen  to  a  fine  defensive  post  fianked  by  White  Oak  swamp, 
where  part  of  the  train  at  least  could  rest.  Head-quarters, 
which  had  tarried  near  the  bridge,  were  now  moved  two  miles 
beyond.  Keyes'  corps  was  forward.  Sykes  was  guarding  our 
flanks;  Morell  was  moving  behind  Keyes;  Fitz  John  Porter 
stood  guard  around  the  camp.  Da}'  was  wearing  away.  An 
awful  tumult  in  rear,  as  if  the  elements  were  contending,  had 


« 


42 


been  moving  the  senses  with  exquisite  power.  Foaminij  steeds 
and  fiuslied  riders  dasliod  into  eanip.  Yoii  could  see  llie  baleful 
firiiii;s  of  cannon  flasliin<f  ai^ainst  the  duskj-  horizon,  pla\  iiig 
on  tlie  surface  of  the  evening  clouds  like  sharp  magnetic  lights. 
Long  lines  of  musketry  vomited  their  fui'ious  voUoj-s  of  ])esti- 
lential  lead  through  the  forests,  sweejiing  scores  of  brave  sol- 
diers into  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 

Nothing  struck  me  so  keenly  during  all  that  gloomy  day  and 
more  desolate  night  as  the  thinly-disguised  uneasiness  of  those 
to  whom  the  country-  had  entrusted  its  fate.  It  was  well  that 
soldiers  who  carry  muskets  did  not  read  the  agony  traced  upon 
the  face  of  that  leader  whom  they  had  learned  to  love.  A  lew 
in  that  gloomy  bivouac  folded  their  arms  to  sleep,  but  most 
were  too  exhausted  to  enjoy  that  blessed  relief  That  dreadful 
tumult,  but  a  few  short  miles  in  the  distance,  raged  till  long 
after  the  whipjioorwill  had  commenced  his  plaintive  song. 

THE   BATTLE    OF    SAVAGE    STATION. 

Morning  beamed  upon  us  again  brilliantly,  but  hotly.  The 
eneni)'  had  not  yet  ajipeared  in  our  front.  Sumner  had  brought 
otf  his  splendid  command.  Franklin  was  posted  strongly  on 
the  south  bank  of  White  Oak  creek,  Ileintzelman  was  on  his 
left,  Keyes'  corps  was  moving  swiftl}'  to  James  river,  down  the 
Charles  City  and  Quaker  roads,  Porter  and  ])art  of  Sumner's 
corps  were  following  rapidly.  The  enemy  first  attacked  at 
Orchard  Station,  near  Fair  Oaks,  in  the  morning,  but  were 
soon  driven  off.  At  about  noon  they  returned  in  heavy  force 
from  the  front  of  Richmond,  while  a  strong  column  was  thrown 
across  the  Chickahominy,  at  Alexander's  bridge,  near  the  rail- 
way crossing.  They  first  appeared  in  the  edge  of  the  woods 
south  of  "^frent's,  and  opened  on  our  column  on  the  Williams- 
burg road  with  shell.  At  the  same  time  they  trained  a  heavy 
gun  upon  our  line  from  the  bridge  they  had  just  crossed.  They 
still  seemed  deluded  with  the  belief  that  (reneral  McClellan 
intended  to  retreat  to  the  Pamunkey,  and  all  da}-  long  they  had 
marched  heavy  columns  from  their  camps  in  front  of  Rich- 
mond, aci'oss  New  bi'idge,  to  strengthen  Jackson  still  more. 
Ila])p3'  delusion. 

The  first  shells  exploded  around  and  over  the  hospitals  at 
Savage  Station,  but  it  is  just  to  say  it  was  not  intentional. 
They  next  opened  upon  a  cluster  of  officers,  including  Sumner, 
Sedgewick,  Jtichai'dson,  Burns,  and  their  staff's,  missing  them 
fortunately,  but  covering  them  with  dust.  Our  own  batteries 
w^ere  now  in  full  clamor,  and  both  sides  handled  their  guns 
skilfully.  The  object  of  ihe  enemy  seemed  to  be  to  break  our 
right  centre,  and  consequently  Burns'  brigade  was  the  recipient 
of  the  ])iiiicipal  share  of  their  favor.  As  the  afternoon  wore 
away  the  combatants  drew  closer  together,  and  the  conflict  bo- 


48 

came  one  of  the  sharpest  of  the  battles  on  Virginia  soil.  Two 
companies  of  one  regiment  stampeded.  General  Burns  flung 
himsc'lt'  across  their  track,  waved  his  bullet-shattered  hat,  ex- 
postulated, exhorted,  entreated,  threatened,  imprecated,  under 
a  storm  of  lead,  and  at  last,  throwing  his  hat,  in  agony  and 
desj)air,  upon  the  ground,  bogged  them  to  rally  once  more,  and 
preserve  them  and  him  from  disgrace.  The  last  appeal  touched 
them.  The  men  wheeled  with  alacrity,  and  fought  like  heroes 
until  the  carnage  ceased. 

Our  trains  had  now  passed  White  Oak  bridge.  Such  an 
achievement,  in  such  order,  under  the  circumstances,  might 
well  be  regarded  Avonderful.  The  retreat  was  most  abl}^  con- 
ducted. Until  this  day  (Monday)  the  enemy  seems  constantly 
to  have  operated  upon  the  supposition  that  our  ai'my  was  in- 
tending to  I'ctire  to  the  Pamunkey.  They  had  been  deluded 
into  this  belief  by  the  Seventeenth  N^ew  York  and  Eighteenth 
Massachusetts  regiments,  together  with  part  of  the  First,  Sec- 
ond and  Sixth  regular  cavalry,  which  had  been  sent  out  to  Old 
Church  on  Thursila}^  morning  to  impress  the  enemy  with  that 
notion.  (^Par  parcnthcse  —  the}'  retired  safely  to  Yorktown, 
and  are  now  at  Malvern  hill.)  But  our  true  object  must  now 
have  become  apparent,  and  it  Avas  vitally  necessary  to  get  the 
trains  through  before  the  enemy  could  push  columns  down  the 
Charles  City,  Central  aiKl  New  Market  roads.  But  until  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning  we  had  no  knowledge  of  any  but  the 
Quaker  road  to  the  point  at  Avhich  we  now  aimed — Hardin's 
landing  and  Malvern  hill,  in  Turkey  bend.  Sharp  reconnois- 
sance,  however,  had  found  another,  and  soon  our  tremendous 
land  fleet  was  sailing  down  two  roads,  and  our  long  artiller}'^ 
train  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  guns,  and  equipments,  were 
lumbering  after  them  with  furious  but  orderly  speed. 

BATTLE    OF    WHITE    OAK    SWAMP. 

About  ten  o'clock  General  McClellan  pushed  to  the  river, 
communicating  Avith  Commodore  Rodgers,  and  had  the  gun- 
boat fleet  posted  to  aid  us  against  the  enemy.  The  cause  was 
desperate,  l)ut  it  was  a  relief  to  reach  the  river  where  we  could 
turn  at  ba^^,  with  our  rear  protected  by  the  .Tames  and  flanks 
partially  covered  by  gunboats.  Tidings,  however,  had  been 
received  that  the  enemy  was  pushing  rapidly  upon  us  in  several 
columns  of  immense  numbers,  apparently  determined  to  ci'ush 
us  or  drive  us  into  the  river  that  night.  They  opened  fiercely 
with  shell  upon  Smith's  division  at  White  Oak  bridge. 

Long  before  this  our  vanguard  had  debouched  from  the  road 
into  the  field  before  Turkey  bend,  and  our  reserve  ai'tillery  was 
powerfully  posted  on  Malvern  hill  —  a  magnificent  bluff,  cover- 
ing Hardin's  landing,  Avhere  our  gunboats  were  cruising.  Here 
was  a  glorious   prospect.     Though   our   gallant   fellows   were 


44 

bravely  holding  the  fierce  enemy  at  bay  to  cover  the  swiftly 
escaiiinf>;  trains,  it  was  clear  our  troubles  were  not  ended  We 
liiul  anal II  deceived  the  enemy  by  goin<^  to  Turkey  bend.  lie 
had  iniau;ined  we  were  marchin<;  to  Xew  Market,  destined  to  a 
point  on  Cliff  Bottom  road,  near  Fort  Darling.  It  was  not  far 
away,  and  the  enemy  was  massing  his  troops  upon  us  on  the 
left  and  on  our  new  front — for  when  we  arrived  at  Malvern 
hill  the  wings  of  the  army,  as  organized,  were  reversed — Keyes 
taking  the  right,  Porter's  corps  the  left  —  as  we  faced  Rich- 
mond. Our  lino  now  described  a  great  arc,  and  there  was 
fighting  around  three-fourths  of  the. perimeter.  Gen.  ^IcCMel- 
lan,  who  had  already  communicated  with  the  gunboats,  re- 
turned from  the  front  to  Malvern  hill,  which  was  made  his 
battle  head-quarters,  and  dispositions  for  a  final  emergency 
were  made.  Fitz  John  Porter  was  marched  from  the  valley 
under  the  hill  to  his  position  on  the  western  crest  of  the  hill, 
where  he  could  rake  the  plains  toward  Richmond.  Our  splen- 
did artillery  was  picturesquely  poised  in  fan  shape  at  salient 
points,  and  its  supports  were  disposed  in  admirable  cover  in 
hollows  between  undulations  of  the  bluff.  Powerful  concen- 
trating batteries  were  also  posted  in  the  centre,  so  that,  to  use 
the  language  of  Colonel  Switzer,  "  we  '11  clothe  this  hill  in 
sheets  of  ilame  before  they  take  it."  It  was  a  magnificent 
spectacle.  The  roar  of  combat  grew  tremendous  as  the  after- 
noon wore  away.  There  was  no  time  then  nor  afterward  to 
ascertain  dispositions  of  particular  organizations.  They  were 
thi'own  together  wherever  emergency  demaniled.  "White  Oak 
bridge,  the  Quaker  road,  Charles  City  road  and  the  banks  of 
Turkeycreek  were  enveloped  in  flame  j  iron  and  lead  crushing 
through  forests  and  men  like  a  destroying  pestilence.  A  mask- 
ed batter}',  which  had  opened  from  the  swamp  under  Malvern 
hill,  begun  to  prove  inconvenient  to  Porter.  It  plowed  and 
crashed  through  some  of  our  wagons,  and  disturbed  groups  of 
officers  in  the  splendid  groves  of  Malvern  mansion. 

The  gunboat  Galena,  anchored  on  the  opposite  side  of  Tur- 
key' island,  and  the  Arostook,  cruising  at  the  head  of  the  island, 
opened  their  ports,  and  plunged  their  awful  metal  into  the  rebel 
cover  with  Titanic  force.  Toward  sunset  the  earth  quivered 
with  the  terrific  concussion  of  artiller}'  and  huge  explosions. 
The  vast  icrial  auditorium  seemed  convulsed  with  the  'com- 
motion of  frightful  sounds.  .Shells  racetl.  like  dark  meteors 
athwart  the  horizon,  crossing  each  other  at  eccentric  angles, 
exploding  into  deadly  iron  hail.  The  forms  of  smoke-masked 
warriors;  the  gleam  of  muskets  on  the  plains  where  soldiers 
were  disengaged;  the  artistic  order  of  battle  on  Malvern  hill; 
the  wild  career  of  wikJer  horsemen  plunging  to  and  fro  and 
across  the  field,  formed  a  scene  of  exciting  grandeur.  In  the 
forest,  where  eyes  did  not  penetrate,  there  was  nothing  but  the 
cxhilirating   and    exhausting   spasm    of  battle.      Baleful    fires 


45 

blazed  among  the  trees,  and  death  struck  many  shining  marks. 
Our  haggard  men  stood  there  with  gi-and  courage.  Wearied 
and  jaded  and  hungry  and  thirsty,  beset  by  almost  countless 
foes,  they  cheered  anil  fought,  and  charged  into  the  very  jaws 
of  death,  until  veteran  soldiers  ftiirl}'-  wept  at  their  devotion. 

Oh  I  friends,  could  you  realize  the  afflictions  of  the  past  five 
days,  you  could  almost  shed  tears  of  blood.  Oh  !  my  friends, 
it  is  horrible  !  horrible  !  to  see  this  proud  army  so  wretchedly 
pressed  upon  every  side,  destruction  threatening  wherever  we 
turn  ;  scarce  a  hope  of  extrication  save  that  which  is  born  of 
despair.  Would  to  God  such  days  had  passed  away  for  ever. 
Oh,  my  countrymen,  you  cannot  comprehend  the  toils  and 
trials  of  your  devoted"  soldiers — conflict  not  sim])ly  with  sol- 
diery— hut  contention  against  insidious  thirst,  craving  appetite, 
enfeebling  heat,  overjiowering  fatigue — and  after  lighting  and 
marching,  and  privations  b}^  day  and  sufl'ering  by  night,  and 
fighting  by  days  succeeding  nights  of  fighting  and  harrassing 
vigilS;  against  fresh  forces  hurled  upon  them  in  over])()\vering 
masses,  till  exhausted  nature  almost  sank  beneath  such  fearful 
visitations,  to  be  pressed  to  the  imminent  verge  of  despair,  was 
almost  loo  much  for  human  nature  to  endure. 

The  soil  of  Virginia  is  now  sacred.  It  is  bathed  with  the 
reddest  blood  of  this  broad  land.  Every  rood  of  it,  from  upper 
Chickahominy  to  the  base  of  Malvern  hill,  is  crimsoned  with 
blood.  The  dark  forests — fitting  canopy  for  such  woful  sacri- 
fice— echo  with  the  wails  of  wounded  and  dying  men.  There 
is  a  bloody  corpse  in  every  copse,  and  mangled  soldiers  in  every 
thicket  of  that  ensanijuined  field. 


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